The Black Dog: Repost
by NeoScriptGenius12
Summary: Six years after Remina, a real monster comes to Succubus Village. My old account got deleted, but I decided to find a way to continue this story cause I love you all so much. Now resting in peace as it should be.
1. The Black Dog

Part 1: Rise of the Devil Dog

 ** **6 AR-After Remina****

He did not know how he got here. One moment he was dead, just when he had Griffith in his grasp. The next, he woke up alive and healed. He took a big breath of air in, surveying his surroundings. His armor was on the ground next to him, and he quickly put it on. He found himself in a misty, sunlit forest. Honestly, he was expecting an eternity in hell with the way he lived his life, not heaven. Than again, this may be hell, and he wouldn't be surprised if the Godhand were waiting for him to drop his guard. Hesitantly, he walked forward, looking for signs of life. Five minutes later, he turned around a tree into a clearing.

What he see's makes him pause damn near instantly.

In front of him are what appears to be a squad of apostles. Female apostles. Of course, all the female apostles he's seen in his life were ugly hideous things, not these entities of allure and sex. In fact, were it not for their horns, wings, and tails, he would not have thought of them as apostles at all. They appear to have won a battle with a group of human knights. Instead of eating the men alive, (The usual apostle victory celebration) they are, to be blunt, doing very heretical things to the poor bastards. He tilts his head, taking in the sight. That is when the monstrous women turn to stare at him. He stares back. For five seconds, the clearing remains perfectly still. Then, a sadistic grin forms on his face.

 ** **XXX****

He decides that he is definitely in heaven as he stands over the shredded, torn remains of the monstrous women, covered in their blood. In his hands, he holds a massive weapon that he had pulled right out of the ground. It was thick, dark, heavy, and absolutely soaked in the blood of the women, along the men who could not get out of his way during his frenzy. Through the psychotic haze of the battle, he was able to learn a few things about this new world.

"N-N-No please your Goddess wouldn't have you be so cruel-ACK!" one of the monster women pleads before he soullessly rips her in two.

"I-I-If you let me live I'll let you feel really good-GAH!" another one whimpers before he impales her on a tree branch.

"H-H-Hey if you want to I can help you meet the Monster Lord she'd pay you reallywellohdarkgdodsno-" the last survivor begs as he beats her to death with her own tail, a black limb with a spade at the end of it.

He then stands in the middle of the blood stained clearing, blood on his muscled form and a smile on his face, before he picks up a map he took from one of the dead men. He scans it, before finding a location exactly to his liking. He honestly doesn't know why he ended up in this insane, bizarre world, but now he doesn't care. After all, with a place like "Succubus Village", why should he care?

After all, life is a waste.  
 ** **  
XXX****

Ako the Succubus ran forward, tears in the teenage succubae's eyes as her long black hair trailed behind her.

Smoke and flame obscured her vision as Succubus Village burned.  
 ** **XXX****

It was all so sudden. This morning, she was chatting with her fellow succubi, thinking up ideas to snatch up cute young boys, when everything went wrong.

An explosion was heard, and she turned around. Her jaw dropped at the sight. A runaway wagon was flying down the street with no driver, as though it had been pushed down a hill. It was on fire, and on top of it were spikes impaled with naked, mutilated dead bodies.

"What in the Dark Gods name-"

"I recognize some of those ladies-

"We sent them to search for human livestock, but they've been gone for five days-

"Did the Church of Ilias do this-"

But Ako just sat there staring in shock and horror as the wagon barreled down through town into the center.

Right into the Town Hall. A thunderous explosion shook the ground and sent everyone falling to the ground, as ash and soot was spread everywhere. Ako coughed as she and her friends got up.

 ** **"Have I gotten your attention yet?"****

Everyone in town turned to see the source of the voice, the clear instigator of the attack. Calmly walking forward was a human. Outwardly, at least. But Ako took a second longer to look, and she found her first impression rapidly changing. He was a massive behemoth, far taller than any human had the right to be like. She remembers muscled men among those captured by the village in the past.

The abomination in front of her made those men look like shota's.

This man's muscles were hard looking, cruel, and bulging, like he could snap her in half just by flexing. The arms were encased in black gauntlets with sharp claws at the end, further accentuating his fearsomeness. He wore black armor that covered his chest, back, and shoulders, while leaving his legs exposed. However, the blood covering his similarly heavy legs made it clear that the usual monster approach to attacking would be met with swift punishment. He had a cruel smile on his uncanny face, a sadistic grin that reminded her of the look a succubus would have as she toyed with her prey.

She had that look on her face at times too.

His head was covered by a helm resembling that of a carnivorous animal, like a wolf or a bear, with his pale eyes scanning the crowd hungrily. What truly, however, drew, her attention was the man's weapon.

It was thick, heavy, dark, and absolutely soaked with red blood. She noticed some green and blue blood too, showing that this man had been killing far more than just succubi. She shuddered.

That's when three nearby guard succubi finally made their attack. They leaped at him, blades outstretched as they prepared for a lethal assault. The fact that they were trying to outright kill him instead of sucking him dry made the danger of the situation more clear than ever.

It was not enough.

The man swung his weapon ONCE.

In less than a second ** **,**** all three guards were dead, their bodies crushed beyond recognition as the were smashed and pasted into a wall, through a window, and a tree respectively. The Beast in the form of a man kept his eyes on her all this time, his cruel smile widening.

A ring of fire began to surround the village, smoke hiding available escape routes.

 ** **"Finding that wagon filled with explosives wasn't easy, so was dragging those dead bodies around, but the looks on your faces are so damn worth it."****

Amidst the chaos of the horrifying declaration, Ako finally found her voice. "Wh-What do you want!" she stammered out in fear.

The man grinned before stating his one and only demand ** **.****

 ** **"Run."****

She did so. They all did. It was not enough.

 ** **XXX****

Fear overtook as she ran through the burning village. She had not worn any clothes today, and she was regretting that decision as hot ash struck her every few seconds. She smelt blood as the evil man ripped and tore at his victims. Some succubi tried to fight him. They were crushed into red dust. Others simply ran. He simply responded by throwing whatever he could at them. Rocks, branches, even other succubi. The lucky ones died from the sheer impact. The others met a curb stomp to the skull or a black club to the spine. Ako ran forward as fast as she could, the screams of her dying friends and the laughter of the black dog of death behind her. She selfishly hoped that he would remain distracted while she ran to the home of the only one she thought could help.

She was at the place now. She forcibly kicked the door open, the heat of the growing fire on her back. She called out. "Chief! The village is under attack!"

At the top of the stairs in the Chief house, the leader finally appeared. The Succubus Chief, despite her high position, wore a humble red soothsayers outfit, one popular with many succubi. She had blonde hairs and red eyes, rather common traits for most succubi. She had a classic witches hat, and had a bust that made Ako feel envious, especially compared to her own rather flat che-Now wasn't the time to be thinking about that.

The Chief nodded, completely serious. "I know, I saw everything through my upstairs window. I managed to contact some of our fellow succubi with a spell. After we escape, we'll meet them at another village." Ako was dumbstruck. "Can't we just take this guy out?" The Chief sighed, clearly unhappy about the situation too. "My niece, I don't think any of us can take this man on in our current state. We'll need to regroup at the second village, the one where the Purple Sabbath occurs. We have to retrain our warriors and rebuild our numbers before we can hope to fight him. We'll call the Monster Lord if we have too. Right now, fighting that freak is a suicide mission." Ako accepted this with hesitation. She was about to speak up when she heard the worst possible thing she could have in this situation.

Someone knocked on the entrance door.

 ** **"Little pig, little pig, let me IN BEFORE I BLOW THIS HOUSE DOWN."****

The Chief's eyes widened."Ako, get up here quickly!" She didn't have to be told twice. She ran up and followed the Chief up another flight of stairs into a room. She heard the house shake as the entrance door was blown apart by a tremendous strike. Mad laughter followed her as the Chief desperately locked the door. The Chief got a confident look on her face. "He can't get past the door enchantments-"

A heavy fist punched through the door. The grinning face of death peered inside. The Chief opened another door, and Ako quickly followed her into a big hallway just as the black hound at the door finally broke it down. The Chief finally opened another door, and she and Ako ran inside as the dark murderer calmly walked towards them in the hallway.

 ** **"Game Over dinnertimeturkeys!"**** He confidently taunted. The Chief pressed a switch on the wall, and the ceiling collapsed onto the man, who just smiled as he was buried. The Chief triple locked the door behind the both of them. They panted. Ako worked up the nerve to talk. "That oughta hold him down for a good half hour-" the killers black weapon pierced through the door, knocking it down. Ako turned around- and saw no other doors to escape through. A sinking feeling enveloped her heart as she back away, tears in her eyes.

She didn't want to die.

The Chief defiantly placed herself in front of Ako, ready to fight. "You'll have to go through me first-"

" ** **Thanks!"****  
Cheerfully, he reached forwards, two of his fingers held out like scissors. Like a flash of lightning, he brought the two digits down on her head.

 ** **XXX****

Ako stood numb with horror as the Chief's head seemed to explode in a shower of red and pink. Too shocked, she was unable to dodge when a clawed fist found it's way onto her throat.

 ** **"Have you ever played SKIN THE CAT?!"****

 ** **Laughing and smiling, Wyald proceeded to do what he did best.****

 ** **XXX****

 ** **Five minutes later, he walked out of the room, a skip in his steps, a smile on his face, and blood all over his hands and head. Wyald hefted his heavy black wooden club over his shoulder as he exited the Chief's house, searching for new victims.****

 ** **In this world of monster girls, Wyald was truly at home.****

 ** **By the time he was finished, the entire population of Succubus village was destroyed, save one.****

 ** **XXX****

The nine year old succubus ran as far as she could, holding onto her scarf, her body encased by a black cloak that was a bit large for her size. She could remember mommies last words before the scary man snatched her up. "Run! Run as fast as you can! Run until you can't see this village behind you anymore!" And so the little one ran until her legs couldn't take it anymore. Sitting down on a stump of a tree, the young succubus took a moment to breath. That was when the sheer enormity of what had happened finally caught up to her. Pressing her hands to her face, she sobbed uncontrollably, having lost everything. She seemed to cry for hours, because when she was done, it was night outside and the moon shined in the sky.

"Why are you crying?"

The succubus immediately looked up. For one terrifying moment, she thought that the evil man had found her. Luckily, this was not the case for in front of her was another girl. She was wearing a simple brown tunic that had seen better days. She had pointy green ears, along with similarly colored skin. Her green claws, tail, and scaly feet instantly revealed the girls draconic heritage. Slung over the girl's back like a sword was a tree branch. However, to the succubus, the most striking feature of the young dragonkin was her golden eyes, and her fiery red hair. The girl tilted her head and spoke.

"I'm heading to a place called Gold Volcano. Care to join me? We can talk on the way." Rubbing her eyes and sniffling, the survivor got up and joined the girl. As they walked to their distant destination, the succubus began to open up to her, and they began to make conversation with each other. First, they spoke each others names.

"Alma Elma"

"Granberia"

-END

I do not own Monster Girl Quest or Berserk, nor do I make a profit off of it. They belong to their respective owners.

 **A/N:**

 **I'm so sorry for not doing this earlier. Basically, my old account was linked to my High School account which was deactivated when I graduated. Shit!**

 **Luckily, I have a new non-school account, and I'm ready to give this nightmare factory the continuation it deserves.**

 **All feedback is heartily appreciated.**


	2. First Blood

As Morning dawned, Granberia casually marched forward through the thick forest, her stick slung over her the back of her tunic like a knight's great sword. " _ _I wonder what Salamander's gonna think of her."__ Granberia thought in reference to Alma. She spared a curious glance to the young succubus. Alma had a long purple scarf wrapped around her head, which she held onto tightly, along with a cloak that seem too big for her size. Alma was looking downwards at the forest floor, her eyes downcast. So far, she hadn't spoken much about why she was running. Granberia didn't expect to find her during her trip around the Gold region. She thought back to the day she left.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 ** **Gold Volcano****

 _ _"Alright kid, I think you have what it takes to travel on your own." Salamander said as Granberia lifted a bag with food onto her back. As Granberia swung the stick she had used for training over her back, Salamander continued speaking. "Travel around this region for a week, see if you can find anything interesting in the world around you." Salamander scratched her head, her hand traveling through the flames above her. "Normally I wouldn't like the idea of sending such a young kid like you out there, but most kids haven't mastered the Serene Mind at the age of five, so I'm sure you'll be fine."__

 _ _Nodding, the eight-year old Dragonkin turned and began to walk to the volcanoes entrance, her head held up high. Smiling proudly, Salamander's grin shifted to a predatory one as she turned around. In front of her was a group of four monsters clad head to toe in gleaming armor. They consisted of two sword wielding elves, one Cerberus, and one lamia with a spear strapped over her shoulder. "So." The Flame Spirit said, cracking her neck. "Your training begins now." As though awoken by an unspoken signal, the squad charged forward, Salamander doing the same as her smile widened, her fangs gleaming.__

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 ** **Gold Forest****

 _ _Jumping over the charging Mantis Girl, Granberia turned and hit her in the head with a rock, sending her stumbling into a pond.  
__

 _ _XXXXXXXX__

 _ _The lamia lifted herself as high as she could as she could, stabbing her spear right in front of the charging spirit. She blinked.__

 _ _The Spirit was running at them one moment, now she was standing right on top of the spear, balancing herself perfectly as though she hadn't been running in the first place. A flaming fist smashed itself into her helmet, shattering it as the Lamia fell down backwards. Disbelief lined the Lamia's face right before a fire-charged kick to the temple knocked her out. Salamander laughed as she dodged a slice from the elf twins.__

 _ _"You react too slowly."__

 _ _XXXXXXXXX__

 _ _The harpy bandit threw a collection of throwing knives at the young dragonkin, all of which were dodged by the speedy warrior in training. She threw another knife while the dragon was in the middle of a dodge-__

 _ _Only for her to reach out and grab it. With a twirl, she held it out along side her stick. Glaring at the challenge through green eyes, the harpy bandit spread her wings and flew up, revealing the steel gauntlets covering her talons. Her blue hair flipped around as she flew forward, the young dragonkin doing a charge of her own.__

 _ _Year's later, the Harpy Queen would laugh when she realized exactly who she had been fighting at that time.__

 _ _XXXXXXXXXX__

 _ _The Elves have been getting more impatient as the fights gone on, Salamander realized. They both charged forward in a choreographed attack that Salamander had already seen. Reaching out with a flash of speed, she gripped bother their wrists in an iron grip. Without looking behind herself, Salamander flung them off their feet behind her. Without looking back, she leaped out of the way as the Cerberus barreled through, smashing into her elven comrades during the charge and sending them flying into a wall, on which they slid down. The Cerberus stopped and turned around, looking at her unconscious comrades. Instantly, all three heads began to argue with one another as they tried to figure out who needed to be blamed.__

 _ _"Talking ain't a free action."__

 _ _With that, Salamander leaped onto the distracted beasts back, swiping at all three heads with her sharp nails. Cracks appeared on the helmets as the now dazed Cerberus stumbled around. Salamander jumped off her back with a burst of flame as she hopped on top of a nearby pile of rocks. Cerberus angrily charged again in an attempt to knock her down. Salamander calmly jumped down as the living battering ram charged forward, her burning nails slashing the massive dog in the side, this time drawing blood. Unable to control it's momentum, the Cerberus continued charging forward before coming to a stop. The First head glared at Salamander, the second smiling in blood lust, while the third looked on in concern at the small slash on her side.__

 _ _XXXXXXXXXXX  
Sometimes, being a warrior meant taking life. It was a lesson that Granberia would learn by herself.__

 _ _In the darkness of the night, Granberia held out her dagger as she stared at the vampiress. Despite the the wooden spear in her chest, the ghoul was still determined to fight. Normally, Granberia didn't fight to kill her opponent but after seeing what the vampire had been doing, she couldn't bear to stand by and let anything more happen.__

 _ ** **(The dragonkin looked on in horror as the red eyed vampiress ripped into the throat of the dead human boy. All around the area, mutilated, pale corpses were strewn over the ground.****_

 _ ** **On top of the wagon was a small red stained bundle of clothes.****_

 _ ** **That was what Granberia told herself, intentionally ignoring the shape of the bundle, or how there seemed to be something small and pale under it, or how a red trail was leaking out the side of it. The pale vampiress stopped her feast to turn and look at Granberia. Her bloody mouth transformed into a fang filled smile as she spoke. "Are you lost?" She said, her soft voice completely at odds with her deed. Suddenly the vampire leaped forward, claws outstretched as her mouth seemed to fill itself with growing bloodstained fangs, her true form revealed.****_

 _ ** **At that moment, serenity prevailed.****_

 _ ** **Letting the power of water take hold in her, Granberia closed her eyes.****_

 _ ** **The vampire blinked when she finished her pounce, only to find no warm flesh to sink into. Still on all fours, she turned around, looking for the little dragonkin. She got her answer when a Granberia's stick smashed it's way into her face hard enough to snap it's end off, knocking a fang out as she yowled in pain. Turning swiftly, Granberia stabbed her newly made spear into the vampires chest, forcing it back. Granberia pushed the impaled vampire away with all of her might. At this point, she stepped back, accidently stepping onto the dead boy's corpse, a part of his flesh collapsing under foot. She felt warm blood splash onto the back of her leg.****_

 _ ** **Her Serene Mind cleared up.)****_

 _ _The vampiress laughed as pure obedience shined through her eyes. Soon this little annoyance would be nothing but another blood bag.__

 _ _Granberia felt her body begin to stiffen.__

 _ _The Vampire's power was quite strong against a mind that had been unfocused and recently disturbed.__

 _ _But against a__ ** _ _Serene Mind__** _ _, it would not last for long.__

 _ _Granberia calmly closed her eyes as the vampire approached, absolutely confident in her victory. That was before her "defeated" prey charged forward, stabbing her blade right into her belly button. "__ ** _ _FUCKING SHIT"__** _ _She screamed, sending her left claw down. Granberia pulled out swiftly. From her perspective, her enemy was moving slowly as if underwater. Running to the side, she threw her knife. The vampire shrieked as she reared backwards, her hands on her face as the knife protruded form her left eye. With her claws occupied, Granberia ran forward. Using her momentum, she pushed her spear right into the vampires black heart.__

 _ _With one last shuddering wail, the vampire fell to the ground dead.__

 _ _Granberia went over to the corpse, pulling her knife and spear out. After that, the vampire's corpse dissolved in a flash of light. Panting, the young warrior got on her knee's. Looking around, she sadly surveyed the dead bodies. Knowing that nothing more could be done, she turned her back and walked away, knowing that at the very least, she had avenged them.__

 _ _XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX__

 _ _Salamander calmly stared the angry Cerberus down. Impressively, she had lasted far longer than the others despite the extensive damage she received. She was now limping on her left hind leg, and her two left and right heads had been knocked unconscious. Only the middle head was awake. Her armor had been cracked and outright shattered in many places. And Salamander stood in front of her at the edge of a small cliff, not a scratch on her. Bellowing, she charged forward one last time.__

 _ _This time Salamander did not move away.__

 _ _A loud crashing sound resounded throughout the volcano.__

 _ _The dog yelped in surprise, looking down as Salamander held her in place, her hands digging into the massive canines chest. With a grin, Salamander began to pull up.__

 _ _"Wh-What are you doing?" the surprised dog shouted as she tried to pull herself away. Salamander's nails dug into the dog's chest as she slowly began to lift her up.__

 _ _Steam began to rise from her body as she put her power into this throw.__

 _ _With a mighty heave, Salamander threw the Cerberus over the cliff behind her. The Dog yelped as she fell down ten feet onto the drop below. A loud thud was heard. The sheer exhaustion of the battle finally overwhelmed her, and she let sleep claim her.__

 _ _"You'll be fine." Salamander quipped as she overlooked her unconscious students. She then began to walk towards the front entrance of the volcano, calling out behind her back: "Training starts again tomorrow morning." Walking outside, she paused as her stomach growled.__

 _ _"...Been while since I roasted something."__

 _ _XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX__

Granberia and Alma continued walking forward. Eventually, Granberia finally decided to ask Alma about her circumstances. Leaning her head backwards, the little knight spoke thusly: "Hey, uh, you've been looking a bit sad. If you want to talk about it..." Alma whispered something. Granberia frowned. Come to think of it, she never really interacted with other monsters her age before. "Sorry, I couldn't hear you." Alma turned to the side, her eyes starting to get wet. Granberia sighed and facepalmed. "Look, I'm really sorry that I brought it up, I honestly don't know just how bad whatever happened-" Suddenly, Granberia's eyes widened as she smelt a familiar scent.

The scent of blood.

Grabbing Alma, she pulled the surprised young Succubus into a nearby bush. "What-"

"Shh. Do you hear that?" Granberia growled from inside the bush, her hands going to her dagger and spear. Alma looked around nervously.

From inside the bush, they both watched as a lamia wearing broken plate armor with long green hair and golden eyes slithered nearby the bush. The lamia braced herself on a nearby tree, clearly tired. Their was a crossbow wound on her right shoulder, and a big slash on her chest area between her breasts. She had a noticeably large belly. Alma and Granberia's eyes widened as they realized the implications.

" _ _Is-is she pregnant?"__ They both thought. Suddenly, they heard the clopping of hooves and the clanking of armor.

A large group of knights charged through the trees, surrounding them. On their armored chests was the symbol of a cross.

The mark of Ilias.

One helmeted Knight lifted up a spear, which he pointed at the lamia. "IN THE NAME OF ILIAS, SURRENDER AND WE SHALL GRANT YOU A QUICK DEATH! REFUSE, AND WE WILL SEND YOU TO HELL LIKE AN ANIMAL!"

Granberia narrowed her eyes from within the bush. Without hesitation, she stepped out, her spear and dagger in hands. She glared at the growing number of knights.

"Like Hell you will."

The ironclad knight's slowly began to surround them, up to thirteen in all. Five horse bound swordsmen stared at them through lion-faced helmets. Two men with shark faced helmet's held crossbow's at their hips, casually leaning on nearby tree's. Four men on the ground held spears, and they wore boar shaped helmets. On top of one horse, the speaking spearman from earlier wore a gold boar helmet, perhaps signifying him as a person of greater importance than the other spear wielders. One small looking fellow wore what appeared to be wolf shaped helmet, and on each hand he wore a three pronged gauntlet of sharpened steel.

The Gold Spearman stared at Granberia. "A CHILD, EH? WE SHOULD PROBABLY KILL YOU BEFORE YOU GROW UP TO BE A STRONG DRAGON."

The Wolf Man seemed to be excited by this statement, for he crouch and huff like a dog. One of the crossbow men seemed to take issue with this. "...Do we really have to kill her? She's just a kid-" "SILENCE!" The Gold Spearman roared. "SHE IS A DEVILSPAWN! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY PEOPLE WE WOULD MURDER BY LETTING HER LIVE TO ADULTHOOD? HER AND THAT DEVILSPAWN CHILD IN THAT FOUL LAMIAS WOMB! THEY MUST BE DESTROYED!"

Granberia was unmoved. "You guys think you're a bunch of hero's? Don't make me laugh. I know a real warrior, and she'd be a far better knight than all of you combined."

XXXXXXXXXX

 **Gold Volcano**

Salamander swiftly dodged to the side as the Cerberus charged her, the spear wielding lamia on the dogs back swiping at her on the side. Casually leaning back, Salamanders advice was swift "It's nice to see you two working together."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **Gold Forest**

The Goldman was enraged. "FOUL REPTILLIAN! WE ARE NOT A GROUP OF TRAVELING ADVENTURERS! WE ARE NOT MEN SEEKING PLEASURE FROM MONSTERS LIKE THOSE TRAITORS IN GRAND NOAH! WE ARE WARRIORS, KNIGHTS DEDICATED TO KILLING ALL OF YOUR HERETICAL SCUM! WE ARE THE EXTERMINATION ARM OF THE CHURCH! WE ARE THE ULTIMATE KNIGHTS OF ILIAS! WE ARE THE CRUSAD-"

 **"Ilias Kreuzaders."** A booming voice interrupted. The Goldman became even angrier as he shouted out "WHO DARES INTERRUPT MY SPEEC-oh hi general I didn't see you there", he said, suddenly becoming meek in the end. A new figure stepped up behind the crossbow men.

He was clad in white armor, and he wore a black helmet shaped like a human skull over his head with a red visor. He was a tall figure, with Granberia only coming up to his legs. Slung over his back was a halberd. What was most notable, however, were the bones.

A necklace of various types of monster fangs was slung around his neck. The sharp talons of a bird monster covered the fingers of his gauntlets like nails. Slung across his chest on a bandolier, were, shockingly enough, three human skulls. On all three skulls, the words "Heretic" and "Tail Lover" had been carved onto the foreheads, hinting at his reasons for murdering his own kind. Lastly, at the bottom of his helmet, a fang tipped lower jaw bone had been slung over where his own jaw would be. It was a truly fearsome sight. Granberia held her weapons tighter when she realized that jaw bone belonged to a dragonkin.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 _"Now Granberia, there are four types of hero's. There's the lousy, weak kind that are only in it for the privileges. Next, there are the perverts that intentionally lose to get laid. Then, their are the brave, noble types that protect the people, these guy's are usually the type that'll give you a good fight. However, the last group is what you should really be concerned about." Salamander said, suddenly becoming serious. "These guy's are the crazies, the lunatics, they really, really, hate monsters and whoever associates with them. Killing is what they really, really, love. They don't care if a monsters minding her own business, they'll kill her and dance around her corpse. They will attack human villages that so much as let one monster coexist with them. They don't even care if they have to attack a major human kingdom! As long as they can kill something, the consequences can go to the depths of earth." Salamander pointed at Granberia. "If you see those guys coming at you, do not hesitate at all, because they won't. Unless you want to become their dinner, put your everything into that fight. If they out number you, run. Living another day is worth the shame."_

 _XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Granberia pushed herself out of her memories. " _Sorry Salamander, but I'm not going to run when I have some things to protect."_

The Bone General looked at her, his expression masked by his helmet. " **It is a shame that I have to kill a brave little warrior like you at such a young age. I would have loved to fight you in your adulthood."** He turned to the Goldman. **"You always did love screaming about brutality. Why don't you take the first shot?"** The Goldman seemed to recoil. "General, you are here first-" He shrieked in fear when he found an axe blade aimed at his throat. The General glared at him. **"You want First Blood, you take it."** Snapping out his fear, the Goldman mumbled an apology before charging forward, spear outstretched.

 **[Serene Mind]**

The man thrust his spear out at Granberia, only for her to leap up above him. He gasped in shock right before she tossed her spear's blunt end at his head, knocking him off his horse. She then jumped down onto his body, knocking the wind out of him before she smashed her fist into the side of his helmet, knocking him unconscious with a loud clang. The horse, frightened by this turn of events, ran off.

Wordlessly, the General pointed forwards, and all four remaining spearmen charged forwards. With four men surrounding her, it would have been a tough battle for an eight-year old child, even with her serene mind.

But most kids weren't Granberia.

Moving forward, she shifted around one knight seamlessly, knocking him off his feet with a swing. He fell to the ground, dropping his spear, which fell forwards and cut another knights leg. The man screamed as he tripped. _"_ Demon!" he shouted turning around to swing at her-

-Only for him to fall down, gurgling his own blood as a spear protruded from his back. The lamia from earlier pulled the spear out, which she had taken from the now unconscious Goldman. With a grin and a flourish, she turned around and swung it at the third spearman, locking them both into a duel. The first spearman cowered on the ground, crawling away and trying not to be noticed- only for a cross bolt to slam into his head, killing him.

The General glared at one of the horrified archers. **"Next time, try aiming before you open fire."**

The Wolf man looked on, breathing heavily. He eagerly got ready to charge forwards-Only for a bone tipped hand to grab him and hold him in place. "Come on General, I can do it-" he growled, struggling. The General shook his head. **"No. Konnor, your ribs are still not fully healed. You must not get to reckless."** Konnor sadly drooped his head, his respect for the General outweighing his bloodlust. The General looked at the fight. The lamia head butted the third spearman, and now she had impaled him in the chest with the spear. As he fell downwards, one of the Lion Knights burst out from behind a tree. Throughout the battle, the sword knights had been sneaking out to start an ambush. She and the knight locked their weapons together. Meanwhile, Granberia finished off the last spearman. Forcing him backwards, she let out a truly vicious swing at his head, shattering his helmet and slamming him into a tree, dazed. "Gonna kill you.." He said, swinging around dizzily before a branch fell out of the tree, clunking him in the head. He fell to the ground unconscious. Granberia then turned, ready to fight the next group-

-Just in time to dodge when a cross bolt flew through the air by her head. The shark men cursed and reloaded their crossbows.

Running forward, she ignored them and attacked a swordsman that had been sneaking up on the lamia while she was occupied.

The man yowled in pain as she slid beneath his legs, hitting him right in the nuts.

These men were willing to kill a pregnant woman. They deserved no mercy. As he fell to the ground unconscious, the lamia managed to overwhelm her opponent, stabbing him through the neck. Two more swordsmen came out of the woods, older and more advanced in their technique than the previous ones by the looks of it. As they advanced, Granberia and the Lamia got back to back with one another. As the lamia dueled her swordsman, the one fighting Granberia kept his distance as she released a strike. _"A Serene Mind."_ he thought, carefully observing her movements. _" I'll just use the normal strategy. I'll stay out of her reach until she runs out of the Spirit Power needed to keep her Serene Mind up. Then, I'll strike." _He finished, narrowly avoiding a blow from the young swordswoman as cracks began to form on his sword.

The General raised his hands to his mouth as he released a truly tremendous shout.

 **It was almost like the sound of some large animal, almost like a big dog.**

On cue, a loud rumbled was heard through the forest as a large amount of armored war hounds tore through the woods into the clearing. The swordsmen seemed to be invigorated, for their blows came even harder. They surrounded the fighters, waiting to break in. Meanwhile, Alma hid in the bush, watching in shock and awe at the battle. While she had just met Granberia, she had no idea that she was so skilled. The lamia fighter also brought out her curiosity. Suddenly, a sword cut through the bush.

The last swordsman had found her. His helmet, shaped like the head of a roaring lion, peered at her as his hand reached out to grab her. She inched herself back as he began to push himself further into the bush. "Don't worry, I'll make it quick. Believe, the other guys would go out of their way to hurt you." He casually said, as though he was walking about the weather. Alma began to back away even further as the man raised his sword.

Outside, the archers began to aim, their sights firmly on Granberia.

 _XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

 _ **Succubus Village**_

 _Her Mother was yelling at her to run as the **beast** held her in place. Her beautiful appearance was marred by ash and blood as the killer held her in place, smiling at her struggles to break out. But the sheer horror still rooted her in place. Then the **beast** began to slowly lift her mother up. His mouth opened wide, wider than it had the right to as he raised her head towards his mouth. Behind her mother, she saw steam beginning to rise from the **monsters** back._

 _At this point Alma finally held the courage to run. Without looking behind her she was about to round the corner when she heard_

 _a sickening **crunch** coming from where her mother was. Alma started to run faster._

 _XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

 _Alma walked forwards, her eyes blank at the horror surrounding her. While running, she tripped over something on the ground._

 _It was a dark purple scarf, the same color as her mother's hair. Wordlessly, she put it on before running some more._

 _She escaped the town, amazing having no further encounters with **it.**_

 _ **BEFORE**_

 _"I don't why your interested in the power of the wind, but I'll show you what I know" her mother said, clearly not taking Alma seriously but deciding to indulge her request regardless._

 ** _NOW_**

Suddenly, Alma felt like her fear had dissipated.

Like her mother had instructed her, she stepped forward with her fist outstretched, her wings spreading out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Two things happened.

First, the archers pressed down the triggers of their crossbows, sending out two bolts.

Second, one of their own screamed in alarm.

The bolts did not reach their target. Instead, a screaming lion knight was sent flying through the air out of the bush in a blast of air, right into the arrows path. The bolts punched into him, the momentum instantly killing him and sending his corpse right into the knight fighting the lamia, knocking him out. Those fighting turned and stared in amazement. The surprise of it broke Granberia out of her Serene Mind. Alma walked out of the bush, wind billowing around her. No longer did she seem like a scared little girl.

This time, she had an absolutely determined look in her eyes. Several hounds broke off from their pack to attack her-

-only for a green blur to fly past them. Lashing out with her spear, Granberia knocked the dogs off their paws, sending them crashing to the forest floor.

She then took a place right next to Alma, both of them sharing a knowing look. If they fought together, they would be much stronger in battle.

Putting her spear between her teeth, the lamia ran forward, grabbing two swords from two fallen swordsmen. Quickly slithering over to Granberia and Alma, she tossed a sword to both of them. Granberia expertly held the sword up, Alma imitating her position.

The Wolves began to circle them, filled with rage. Behind them, the last remaining swordsman jumped on a particularly large Wolf like it was a horse.

He raised his sword and pointed it at them as the horde began to creep forwards.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The General glared at one of the archers. They recoiled in fear. "Look man," said one of the archers, "We didn't mean to shoot Igor-GAH!" He yelled as the General fastened his right hand around his head, lifting him into the air. He began to squeeze. **"Igor belonged to a Noble family**. **"** A crack was heard as the man started screaming in pain. **"His death will not reflect well on us."** With one final squeeze, he dropped the dead archer onto the ground. While the one remaining archer looked on in horror, the general casually flicked the blood and brain matter off of his hand. He turned to Konner. **"Make sure that the other one does his duty."** Laughing, Konner turned and looked at the last archer. He held the blades on his gauntlet up to the man's neck. The terrified archer gulped and pointed his crossbow back at the battle.

The General strode forward through the sea of combat, unslinging his halberd.

" **If you want something done right, do it yourself."  
**

The war wolves were not stupid. Instead of attacking all at once, they were circling the group, looking for any opportunities to catch them by surprise. One hound jumped out behind Granberia. Spinning around, she swung her sword, cutting through it's neck mid leap. The wolf fell to the ground besides her, blood spewing from the stump on it's neck. Another two charged at her, only for Alma to jump in front of them. She let loose a punch in front of them, a burst of air coming from her fist, sending the two wolves back into the horde, knocking the other dogs around.

While the rest of the wolves recovered from the unconventional barrage, three more charged forward, only for her to swing her sword, the slash traveling away from the sword and cutting into the hounds. One dropped to the ground as it's front leg was severed, blood gushing as the shock of the sudden loss sent the dog into unconsciousness. Another lost it's head, and it charged forward a few more feet before dropping to the ground. The last wolf fell to the side as it's left ear fell to the ground, it's training being the only thing preventing it from crying out.

It got back to it's feet and growled at her-only for a spear to pierce through it's head.

The lamia pulled her red spear out of the dead hound, twisting it around with a flourish as she brought it's end down onto another wolves head, sending it to the ground, it's tongue lolling out as it surrendered to blackness. Suddenly, sharp teeth bit into the back of her red tail, and she yelled as the dog on her tail began to sink it's teeth further in. Running on pure adrenaline, she swung her tail at another hound, the sheer force snapping it's neck as she violently swung the dog down like a hammer, the beast falling off after the impact. The hammered dog had it's own war helmet shattered as it stumbled around, dazed.

The red spear slit it's throat, and it finally fell down, dead. More hounds began to surround her. Granberia and Alma quickly rushed to her aid. Granberia slid between two wolves slicing a limb or two off with each hit. As the wolves fell to the ground, another one rushed at her. Granberia flung herself forward, and with her sword she cut it's head in two horizontally as she took a position next to the lamia. Alma charged forward with the power of the wind, elbowing her way into a hound, which was sent flying over her head as it yelped, blood gushing from it's mouth.

It crashed down onto the floor as she finally took a spot next to Granberia and the lamia. Sweat began to drip down her forehead, for she was not as used to fighting as Granberia and the lamia. Nevertheless, she still took a fighting stance.

With the deaths of their fellow hounds, the wolves were now falling back. This changed, when, on top of his war hound, the last swordsman charged forward, the wolves trailing after him, reinvigorated. As the beast's began to surround them further, Granberia closed her eyes and focused.

 **[Serene Mind]**

Cut the head off the snake, and the body will die.

Speeding forward, she dove between the wolves easily moving around them. Jumping onto one wolves head, she used it as a stepping stone from wolf to wolf, evading the sea of teeth snapping at her. Leaping forward, she brought her sword down onto the man's own sword. Crack's formed on his sword as she used her feet to jump off of his plated chest, nearly knocking him over. She sailed over the snapping head's off the wolves, her serene state making them appear to be barely moving. She threw her stick, the pointy end impaling itself into one hounds eye. The panicked animal began to lash out around, hitting other dogs. Due to this and the ongoing battle, the wolves began to lose discipline, the first wolves tantrum spreading to the others and driving them to bite and snap at other wolves, the chaos spreading.

On top of his hound, the swordsman desperately called out to his hounds. "Settle down now!'' he yelled, barely holding on to his now berserk hound.

Then, Granberia saw her opportunity.

Jumping from wolf to wolf, she brought her sword down, the man desperately holding out his own blade.

His eyes widened as she cut right through his blade. As the silver splinters sailed through the air, her blade cut across his chest. He fell off of his hound. He blinked, feeling unharmed.

Right before a thin line appeared on his chest, blood suddenly spraying out from the cracks in his armor. As he cried out in pain, the war wolves lost their discipline entirely. They began to run around wildly, the wounded swordsman disappearing under a tide of fur as the hounds trampled over him, the animal's randomly attacking everything in sight, including the monsters and their fellow hounds. Using her Serene Mind, Granberia eased through the swarm, chopping off limbs and head's as she got back to Alma and the lamia. Alma thrust her hand's into the ground, creating a wind barrier in a small radius around them. The now savage hounds began to push themselves up against the barrier, snapping and snarling. A few managed to force themselves past it, but a spear to the brain's quickly ended them. Running up a wolves back, Granberia jumped into the circle.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Bone General glared at the chaotic mess around him. War beasts tripping over each other, most of his men dead because they couldn't take on a pregnant lamia and two kids. **_"How could this happen?"_** He thought, before he found his answer. _" **Of course...the assault on the lamia camp was the first true combat mission for everyone except for me and Konner. Also, my soldier's aren't used to fighting monster's that are willing to fight lethally. Idiot's, don't they know that when fighting to kill, they should expect their enemies to do the same."**_ He sighed as he clutched one of the skull's strapped across his chest. **"This was supposed to be a simple extermination mission to increase the experience of my recruits, not a further scar on our Order."** Crack's began to form on the skull he was holding. He looked at the now mad horde. By now, the three monsters had managed to wittle their numbers to less than twenty. Those not dead were stumbling around in a daze with various injuries and lost limbs, the remaining healthy wolves not moving as fast. **"USELESS"** He growled in anger, having enough.

 **"SO BE IT."**

The General finally crushed the skull as he looked up into the sky. By now, it was Afternoon. **"Ilias, give me strength!"** he prayed, raising his hand's to the heavens. He pulled out his halberd as he aimed it right in the middle of the horde. He began to move forward with a speed beyond what his massive form appeared capable of achieving. Aiming his blade, he spoke his next words not with a roar, but with deathly cold calmness.

 **"Demon Decapitation"**

 **Hell followed with him.**

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Granberia's eyes widened as the war hounds in front of her suddenly began to split in two down the middle, falling down in bloody halves while a black blur charged forward. "Move!" She yelled as the general prepared another swing. " **Demon Decapitation"** he called out, his attack slicing right into Alma's barrier like it wasn't there. The succubus yelped as she and the lamia dove out of the way. Granberia slid under the General as he brought his halberd down onto where they had been standing before hand, sending a mass of wet earth into the air. She immediately leaped forward to attack-

Only for him to grab her sword mid swing and hold her, snapping her concentration and her Serene Mind. "A monster technique" she said under her breath, loud enough for him to hear. **"It decapitates demon's like you. That's good enough for me and Ilias."** Staring Granberia right in the eye's, he began to lift his axe up, ready to bring it down. " _Shit! He's got me! Unless-"_ Inhaling as fast as she could, Granberia exhaled as she released a fiery blast right into his face. He held his axe in front of his face like a shield, the expertly crafted metal defending himself from the heat.

Granberia braced her leg's against his chest, pushing herself backwards with all her might. A terrible scraping noise was heard as she jumped back. Landing on her feet, she looked at her sword, only for her to see that the tip had been snapped off. _"Ah, Nuts."_ She thought as the General charged forward's, brandishing his axe. She immediately leaped out of the way of his blow. Turning, she sent out a swing of her own, only for him to block it with his halberd. She promptly rolled under his next swing, jumping onto a dog corpse. _"He's so fast."_ She thought, her breathing going ragged as she finally began to sweat. She jumped up, intending to hit his head, but he blocked with his halberd and shoved her off of him six feet away. _"He's definitely not like the others... If his giant axe hit's my sword full on, it'll shatter! Unles-"_ Her thought's were interrupted as he brought his grim edge down. She narrowly evaded the blow as he split a dead dog in half.

XXX

Alma watched with wide eyes as Granberia began to struggle against the giant. She desperately wanted to help, but she was currently preoccupied. The surviving wolves were surrounding her. There was seemingly no end to the things. She sent one hound flying with a windblast, it's close proximity to her attack ensuring that it was ripped in half as her attack sent it's remains rolling in the grass. Suddenly, a massive weight slammed onto her back as another wolf pounced her. She quickly held her sword up, her right hand on the grip and her left on the flat. The dog snapped and snarled as it bit down onto her sword, shaking it's head from side to side as it tried to rip it out of her hands. As the wolf began to scratch at her, she finally let go.

And used the power of wind to push the sword upwards, the blade in the hounds mouth slicing through and separating the top of the hound's head. It fell backwards as blood spewed from the separated area's. The now blood soaked succubus panted. Now, their were only three dogs left. Faster than she could summon her wind, they closed in.

"No!" a strained voice called, and then a thrown spear pierced through the hound's head's, killing all three.

The lamia breathed heavily as she pulled her spear out. She pointed towards the General. "That Illias humper over there is the main threat. Try and hold him back with your wind." She then turned towards the crossbow man and Konner. "I'll take that sniper out."

XXX

An idea formed in Granberia's head as he continued to chase her, swinging his halberd again and again as she barely managed to parry.

 _"If I have enough time to concentrate, I can recreate my Serene Mind."_

She stood her ground, holding her sword out as he charged forward. With a roar, he swung downward's. At the same time Granberia leaped into the air, before forcing herself downwards. Landing on top of the handle with her feet, she swung with all she had at the General's head-he suddenly swung his halbered to the side like a club, the sheer force sending her flying off. Her impact was broken when she fell onto a pile of gore. Her warrior's discipline was what kept her calm, even as blood that was not her own began to stain her. Once again, she had to dodge a sudden slice at her head. She barely evaded, a few of her red hairs getting sliced off despite her narrow dodge. She spied a brown, sharp edge sticking out of a dead wolves head.

 _"Just what I was looking for."_

Her tail began to wrap around the stick. She closed her eye's and began to concentrate. The General immediately prepared to swing his axe, intent on claiming her head before she could active her Serene Mind.

Suddenly, her tail flicked the spear at him. He instinctively swung his axe, smashing it into splinters.

 **[Serene Mind]**

This one second difference was all Granberia needed. Climbing up his armor, she swung. He moved his head to she side, but she did succeed in severing the dragonkin jawbone on his helmet. Jumping off his helmet, she began to run around him. He began swinging wildly. His swing's were like a blur, able to grind a base opponent into bits in a normal situation.

Granberia dashed around his strikes with ease. He brought his halberd down, only for her to move out of the way, which resulted in him burying the axe into some wolf corpses. While he started shaking the corpses off, the battlefield thick with blood, she climbed on top of his back. Grabbing onto his collar, she pulled her sword back, absolutely focused on driving it through his skull.

Suddenly, pain exploded in her shoulder.

Grunting, the impact sent her across the battlefield. She rolled to a stop. Groaning in pain, she noticed the crossbow bolt sticking out of her shoulder.

XXX

"I did it!" The last archer triumphantly yelled. He began to reload his crossbow, Konner standing nearby. The man in wolf armor laughed at the sight of the dragonkin on the ground. "You finally did something useful!" he said. "Thanks-GAH!" the archer yelled. Konner turned just in time to see the archer fall to his knees, a thrown spear right in his heart. Konner felt his mouth water when he gazed across the killing field to see the lamia they had been fighting, her arm outstretched. "You really shouldn't have done that." he croaked out, slowly advancing towards her with his gauntlet claws outstretched. The Lamia's eyes widened when she realized that throwing away her only weapon was probably not her best idea.

XXX

Grabbing a nearby stick, Granberia bit down on it as she pulled the bolt from her shoulder. She then heard a dreaded growling noise.

 _"Not now..."_ she thought as the last remaining wolf ran at her, climbing on top of her body. Thinking fast, she pulled out her knife. Just when the wolf was about to close it's jaw's around her throat, she stabbed the blade right into it's neck. The wolf let out one last whimper before collapsing, and while pushing it off of her, she saw the General striding towards her. He picked up speed. " **No more games."** Granberia barely had her sword up before he was finally in front of her. He raised his halberd. This time, it was the end-

"Hey, asshole!" A wolf carcass slammed into him, knocking off his concentration. Granberia slipped past him, and she was greeted by the sight of Alma holding out her hands, a strained look on her face. Alma immediately lashed out with her wind, sending a massive blast at the General. However, his concentration had returned. Holding his arms out in front of him like an X, he began to move forward despite the wind's ripping around him. With a yell, Alma sent two more wolf corpses flying at him.

He immediately pulled out his Halberd, and with no hesitation he sliced through both wolves, the gore covering him as he began to get closer.

Right next to Alma, Granberia did her best to ignore the pain as she began to concentrate. Slowly, she opened her eyes, a calm look in them despite the devastation around her. "You can go." She casually remarked, now dual wielding her sword and dagger. Alma was about to protest, only for Granberia to point behind her. "She need's your help." Granberia pointed at the Lamia, who was struggling against Konner without her spear. Alma hesitated, but decided to put her faith in Granberia. Nodding, she went off to help. Granberia finally turned back to the Boneman. Without the cyclone holding him back, he had pushed forwards. Right in front of her. He swung his axe right at her, cutting into the air itself, his speed faster that any sane reaction could hope to avoid.

Like water flowing around an obstacle, Granberia evaded it.

Her Serene Mind had returned.

The General's expression grew baleful under his helmet. **"No more holding back."**

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Konner laughed as he advanced on the lamia. "After tonight, your wretched warrior clan will be gone forever." Picking up a wolf corpse, she threw it with all her might. Konner simply held up his gauntlet.

In an explosion of blood, the dead wolf was ripped in half. Even as the blood coated his Wolf Helmet, Konner was not worried. "You may have put blood on my eyes, but I can still sniff your tasty blood out."

"Go back miss. I'll take care of this." The lamia looked on in surprise. Even though she was clearly exhausted from the battle, and covered in minor scratches the young succubus was still willing to fight. A hard, battle worn look was on her face. " _Such courage, at such a young age."_ Knowing that she could trust her, the lamia went to find a place to rest while Alma engaged Konner. The Wolfman laughed maniacally as he charged at her, claws outstretched.

Spreading her wings, Alma jumped over him, throwing her sword to the side in a bold move. He looked to the sky, eyes wide beneath his helmet. " _I forgot they could do that..."_ Alma launched a quick blast of wind, knocking him off his feet as he still charged. His momentum turned against him, Konner tumbled through the ground before hitting a tree, smacking his helmet and covering it with cracks. Shaking his head, he got up, his vision blurring. "Fuck! I can't see shit with this broken helmet on." Growling hatefully, Konner ripped his helmet off, revealing a long head of black hair, a shaggy beard covering his cut face. Holding out his claws, Konner got on all four's and jumped up at Alma. She narrowly dodged to the side as he grabbed onto a tree. Jumping off of it, he did a flip, his claws slicing downwards as she evaded again. His claws dug into the woods of another tree as he pulled his bladed claws downwards, splitting wood as he turned around. With a cruel grin, he pointed upwards. Alma looked at her left wing.

There was a big cut on it.

She felt something soft and warm start to trip out of it.

Then, she was falling.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Granberia started breathing heavily, the battle making her tired even in her serene state. She once again managed to avoid a strike from the General, their blades clashing as Granberia timed her blows in a way that would not shatter her sword against his larger weapon. She managed to run past him, striking his armored leg. To her dismay, she found that she had only managed to make a small cut. " _His armors' too hard...I just need to find a weak spot.."_ At that moment, the General smashed the Halberd downwards. " **Demon Skull Beheading!"** The impact sent a shower of blood and dust into the air. Granberia grimaced as she braced herself for his next attack.

 **"Thunder Thrust!"**

XXX

Using the wind, Alma halted her descent, watching in horror as Konner began to run, his claws outstretched as he prepared to skewer her. Thinking quickly, she opened up her tail and pointed it at him.

Konnor yelled out in surprise as a sticky liquid was blasted into his eyes. "Holy shit, there's digestive juice in my eyes!" After he rolled to a painful stop, he immediately raised his hands to his face. Through blurred eyes, he saw his own bladed gauntlet pointed at him. Laughing manically, he pulled his blades away from his face. "Clever girl, trying to trick me into cutting my eyes out..." He smashed his face into the grass, wiping the juice off his eyes as he got up and looked around. "Now where did you go.." Like a dog, he got on his knees and sniffed her blood out. He saw a small trail around him, but he couldn't see her.

Up in a tree, Alma held up a crossbow.

While Konnor was blinded, she had taken the crossbow from the dead archer. Aimining it at his head, she pulled the trigger. While the bolt did not hit the intended target, it did succeed at striking Konner in the back. The heavy bolt sent him to the ground, screaming in pain. Alma's eyes widened as the recoil sent the crossbow flying out of her hands, with Alma falling off the branch she was standing on. Quickly, she wrapped her tail around the branch.

Enraged, Konner ran to the tree and stabbed his gauntlets into it. He than began to quickly climb up, stabbing into the wood. From her branch, Alma reached under her cloak.

She let go, allowing herself to fall to the ground.

One hand still impaled in the wood, Konner reached out with his free claw, intending to gut her mid fall.

Beneath her cloak, Alma pulled out a crossbow bolt. She threw it forward, right into Konner's left eye.

With a mad scream, Konner fell backwards off of the tree, while Alma broke her fall with the wind. She panted heavily as she looked on at Konner's now unmoving form. Suddenly, the wolf man's one remaining eye opened. She immediately backed away as he began to pull himself up, a hateful roar building up in his mouth. She pushed her self backwards with the wind. Her options were now limited. She was tired, and the adrenaline was wearing off, the pain in her wing growing. She felt her back hit something. She looked up and saw the same tree that Konner had been cutting through earlier.

At that moment, Alma knew that this was her last chance to take him down. "Come on!" She shouted, Konner accepting her challenge as he charged forwards, all rational thought gone from his angry mind. He pointed his claws right at her, intending to impale her.

Straightening herself, Alma launched herself up in one last burst of air. Konner missed her and impaled his arms right into the tree. He grunted as he tried to pull his claws out, but he found himself fully stuck inside of it. As Konner tried to pull himself out, Alma dropped down behind him. Sliding beneath his legs, she released a devastating punch right into the tree's trunk.

A resounding crashing sound was heard as the tree began to tip over. Alma immediately dashed out of the way.

Konner had no such luck, and he could only stare in shock, his eye widening before the tree fell on top of him. Alma fell to her knee's as she observed the fallen trunk, Konner's legs the only thing sticking out. Whether he was dead or knocked out did not matter, just that she had won.

A delirious smile grew on her face.

XXXX

Granberia held tight, betting everything on her next move.

It may very well be her last.

The General charged forward, propelled by his Thunder Thrust, the energy from his attacks blasting off sparks to the sides.

Instead of dodging the blade, Granberia held her ground. " _ **What is she doing?"**_ He thought. Sure enough his blade began to come in contact with hers.

Just before it happened, she threw her sword at his head.

The General instinctively grabbed it, leaving his hands occupied. At the same time, Granberia grabbed onto the halberd's side, holding on tight as the charge continued. She pulled herself on top with her legs and left arm holding on for dear life, holding her dagger sideways in her right arm. The General's eyes widened as he began to make a motion to shake her off. Granberia reacted faster.

"Demon Decapitation!" Her knife began to glow with burning power.

Releasing her arm and legs, she let the momentum from his charge fling her forward.

The dagger sliced right through his neck.

Both of the fighters came to a stop. Granberia tumbled to the ground, dropping her knife. The General stopped his charge. He turned around, facing her.

Blood began to flow down his armor from all sides of his neck. He took a single step towards her.

Then another.

And another.

He dropped his halberd to the ground. He spoke one last time, awe in his voice as his hand's clasped together in prayer.

 **"...You were magnificent."**

Like a puppet with it's strings cut, his head fell from his shoulders, blood pouring out from the stump.

Ten second's later, the dead warrior finally joined his head on the ground.

Granberia fell to the ground, looking up at the tree's, completely exhausted.

"You okay?" A worried voice yelled. Flapping wings were heard as Alma landed next to her. Granberia looked at her crossbow wound,noting that she could see a sliver of white bone beneath the bloody skin. "It's just a flesh wound." she reported, trying to ignore the strain in her own voice. "You don't look too good yourself." Alma grimaced as she finally got a good look at the cut on her wing. "Oh...I..." Alma grimaced at the pain. With a loud slither, the lamia was at their side. "Let's get out of here." She offered her tail to Alma, who climbed on it. "Some of the tree's in this massive forest contain a sap with healing properties. We just need a safe place to go find rest." Granberia, despite her injuries, rejected her offer to be carried. "I..can walk on my own." some pain from her wound still creeping into her voice despite her pride as a dragon. The lamia looked at her for a few seconds before shaking her head. "Oh right. Dragonkin. Incredibly prideful." Granberia simply shrugged before looking back at the battlefield. Now that she was not in the haze of battelust, she began to see the battlefield in a clearer light.

The dead, mutilated bodies. The red blood that stained the ground they stood. The stench of spilled entrails.

Without the adrenaline and the clanging of steel ringing in her head, battle did not seem so glorious in this brief moment of clarity.

Suddenly, Granberia began to feel sick.

Alma looked back, and she immediately turned away, having similar feeling's of revulsion. Not another word was spoken as they all left the desolate clearing.

XXXXXXX

 **5 hours later**

Konner groaned as he finally pushed the damn tree off of himself. He turned to look-

and saw the gore strewn battlefield, the General dead, and the three monsters were no where in sight, while he had been badly wounded.

"Mother-

XXXX

 **Somewhere Else**

-Fucker"

A well dressed Merchant cursed. He had gotten lost, and now the rain was coming down like all around him. He had found a nearby cave, which he decided to take shelter in.

Guiding his oxen to a wooden post, he set it up and tied a rope to keep them from running off. He sat down, sighing as he considered his bad luck, only for him to recoil as he saw a big, black furred shape at the back of the cave. "A bear!" he shouted, louder than he intended too. He fell on his ass and began to back up as the bear began to rise up, much to his utter horror.

Two glowing white eyes peered at him from the darkness. With a start, he realized that the "bear" was actually a massive man wearing a dead bear over himself.

A loud grumble came from the massive man's stomach.

He grinned as he stared at the merchant and his oxen.

 **"You'll do nicely."**

Wyald ate well that night.

-END

 **A/N: I've decided that the Ubik/Conrad sidestory from the original will be placed later on so it won't be too jarring.**

 **Trivia: The Bone General was based on General Boscogn and Bishop Mozgus.**

 **Salamander's fighting style was based on that of the Rogue Titan from Attack On Titan.**

 **The Illias Kreuzaders are meant to be a precursor to Illias Kreuz.**


	3. Spring

****Gold Forest****

Some time had passed, and the sun was beginning to set in the distance. The dying rays of sunshine illuminated the tree's as the three tired warriors walked forwards.

Granberia held onto the her shoulder, which had been shot by a crossbow. Aside from the occasional grimace, she acted like she remained unaffected.

Alma, due to the slash on her wing and the exhaustion of the battle, had taken to resting on the lamias tail as she slithered along, basically half asleep by now.

The lamia still had her own crossbow wound and a slash on her chest. Nevertheless, she too remained calm and acted unaffected by her wound. Her green hair had been pulled back into a ponytail, allowing her to see more clearly.

Their journey had been in silence for a while now, which was suddenly broken when the lamia spoke. "Since we're clearly going to be together for a while, we might as well know each others names."

Alma lifted her frazzled head up, blinking her tiredness away. Granberia also turned her head, having become somewhat used to the silence.

"My names Riker. Yours?"

"Granberia."

"Alma."

With introductions out of the way, they continued forwards. Eventually, Riker looked to the right and got a big smile on her face. "Ah, just what I was looking for." Slithering forwards, she went between two trees. Instead of finding even mores tree's down the path, she saw a clear pool of water big enough for the three of them at the bottom. Steam rose from it.

"Fuck Yeah-You don't mind if I curse?"

"Nah!"

"It's been a while since I've seen a good hot spring." Granberia looked at her. "What's that?" She replied. Riker replied with a simple explanation. "It's a pool with hot water. It's good for relaxing." She looked around at her two companions. "We can also use it to wash the blood off of us." Granberia looked down onto herself, suddenly becoming aware of the blood she had spilled during her earlier fight.

She tried not to focus on that.  
XXX

By now, they had hung their clothes on a nearby tree branch. Riker pulled out her spear, which she had retrieved from the archer she had killed earlier. Going up to a nearby tree, she stabbed into it with her spear. Sure enough, a thick orange sap began to leak out. Grinning, she rubbed the sap onto her own wounds, just as Granberia and Alma came over to do the same.

Granberia put sap on her shoulder wound while Alma put some on her wing.

Riker immediately began heading towards the spring, Alma and Granberia limping after her. Lowering herself into the pool, Riker let out a content sigh, her tail spreading around in the pool. Alma dipped her feet in, her eyes widening at the hot feeling as she lowered herself into the bottom. However, she quickly grew used to it and let out a peaceful sigh of her own, her wings instinctively opening up and spreading around her. A loud smack was heard, and Alma looked to the side, seeing that she had smacked Granberia in the face by mistake. "Sorry" she said, laughing at how absurd it was. Granberia was more restrained, simply letting out a smirk as she stepped into the pool. She sat down, the steam rising and obscuring their bodies somewhat.

On her side of the hot spring, Riker held her hands out to the side of the pool. "So", she began ,"I'm guessing that you two wanna know what was happening back there?" Sitting deeper in the water, Granberia responded for the both of them quickly with "I...don't really need to know, but I am slightly interested."

Riker leaned back, her green eyebrows scrunching up in concentration.

XXX

 _ _"I'm a part of a warrior clan, one that was often hired by powerful monsters, and high ranked humans before the slaughter of Remina. We taught the arts of physical combat to all monsters interested in joining us. Nowadays, you youngsters tend to focus on the more..."Intimate" aspects of monster combat, but we still get plenty of volunteers each year. Anyways, we had plenty of strong warriors in our company. We pride ourselves on our ability to specialize in different weapon styles. I myself am quite good at the act of using the spear. One day, I was at a tournament in Grand Noah. Ever been there, kids?"__

 _ _"No"__

 _ _"Well, I think you guys would do well there, considering how well you fight. Not only is that city one of the few places where humans and monsters have been able to get along, it also houses a great colosseum, which is a big fighting arena. Me and my fellow soldiers were in a big free for all, alongside other visiting warriors and some native fighters, humans and monsters. It was one hell of a fight, I'll tell you that right now-__

 _ _-So, after the fighting ended, I'd say everyone involved felt damn satisfied. We all had this big celebration at an Inn. We had drinks, we were talking to other warriors and discussing the fights, thumbs up all around.__

 _ _Of course, one thing led to another, and a few weeks later I was pregnant. To this day, I still don't know who it was, but it probably ain't that important.__

 _ _I'm still a fit fighter, but nevertheless as my pregnancy advanced, the other members of my clan advised me to eventually settle down until I gave birth. Because that would be some boring bullshit, I decided that I would spend my time training members of the clan. One day, I was training some new recruits in camp at this forest.__

 _ _That's when the Ilias Kreuzaders came in. They've been a thorn in our sides for awhile now, ever since the slaughter at Remina. That group of knights was never really liked, even by the other humans."__

 _ _"I'm guessing that the constant torturing and violent slaughters of anything heretical had something to do with that. Hell, Remina was the reason their numbers expanded so much."__

 _ _"So, they came charging in on horseback, a large back of tamed hounds behind them. I was eight months pregnant, and most of the recruits were relatively inexperienced. That didn't stop us from giving them hell. We managed to kill six of their dogs and nine swordsmen. The real danger, however, was that gauntlet wielding guy and that Bone General. They...cut through my recruits like butter. I myself was forced to reatreat after taking a few wounds. I'm not sure if anyone else made it out, though. Hopefully they will know to meet up at our outpost outside of the forest.__

 _ _So anyways, I made it out, but they caught my scent. That's where you guys come in."__

 _ _XXX__

"So yeah, here we are now." Riker let out a deep breath as she finished her tale. "But hey, we took out the guys responsible, so it's alright."

Granberia spoke up, her voice somewhat quiet. "We...still killed a good amount of them. That blood on our hands..." Riker look on in confusion for a few seconds before realizing the problem. "I see, death in battle takes getting used to. This must have been your first time killing." Granberia shook her head. "The first person I killed was a vampire who had been feasting on some humans. But this was different. It's one thing when I'm fighting an ugly, scary beast. It's a whole other act to slaughter some hounds who are just doing what they've been trained to do. I heard them screaming in pain while a few injured ones tried to run away. They were afraid to die...just like anyone would."

Alma spoke up too in soft voice. "That guy with the sword that I threw into those arrows...I don't think he wanted to be there at all. He even seemed sad about having to attack me." Alma looked down at her reflection in the water. Some off the blood from the battle had not washed off yet.

Riker took a deep breath. "Taking a life is not an easy choice to make. But when you fight seriously in a Life or Death situation, you have to do what you have to do to survive. Making that choice...is ultimately not something that I can some up easily. You will have to decide that for yourself when you start fighting your own battles."

Silence seemed to reign for minutes as they all sat there in the hot spring. By now, the moon was out, and it's light reflected on the water.

Alma chose this moment to speak up. Gulping, she spoke. "I...lost my village too." Granberia and Riker turned to her.

"I admit, I was wondering why you were wandering around alone." Granberia said, mentally bracing herself. After all that had happened today, she had a feeling that this story would not be a happy one.

XXX

 _ _"I lived in a village in this forest. Succubus Village is what we were called. We had plenty of succubi in our village, along with humans. Some of them were happy to be there. Others...weren't. Then one day...it all went horribly wrong."__

 _ _XXX__

 _ _"No Alma, don't put your thumb into your fist. You'll break it if you try to punch like that." Following her mothers instruction, she let loose a punch, Knocking down six old milk cans in front of her. In the grassy area behind the house they lived in, her mother looked on in pride. She looked almost identical to her daughter, in that she looked like a fully grown version of her, except with shoulder length hair in comparison to Alma's long hair. She thought to herself, pleasantly surprised at how Alma's seemingly silly interest in martial arts was indeed bearing fruit, making sure to brush a strand around her blue eye. The strand drifted over a scar across an eyelid, yet she was fortunately not blinded in that eye.__

 _ _"With that strength, you'll have an easy time holding cute boys down." She said, laughing while Alma tapped her head. "What are boys anyway, Mama? I've heard lots, but I haven't seen much."__

 _ _That is when disaster struck.__

 _ _Suddenly, an explosion was heard in the center of the town. A massive storm of dust and smoke was sent up into the air. They were both sent to their knees, coughing and sputtering. That was when they heard the cruel, deep voice of the attacker.__

 ** **"Have I gotten your attention yet?"****

 _ _From that point on, everything went to hell.__

 _ _XXX__

 _ _Alma's mother held her daughter close as they navigated through the burning village. Smoke and flame rose into the air, blocking off what they could see and forcing them to navigate the path by looking down at the path itself. This is when they first happen upon the killer.__

 _ _Hunched over a dead succubi's body, tearing noises could heard as he greedily ripped something off. Then, crunching sounds were heard as he hungrily bit into the fleshy bone he had ripped into, blood spraying to the side of him. Alma got ready to gasp in horror, only for her mother to cover her mouth. "Don't look" she whispered, and the young succubus did so as they tried to walk around him.__

 _ _Once again, things went horribly wrong. Turning his head, he saw them out of the corner of his eyes. A sadistic, bloody grin bloomed onto his apelike face as he callously threw the partially eaten corpse of his latest victim to the side.__ ** _ _"Fresh Meat..."__** _ _he whispered, his unthinkable intentions clear. Her mother held on tight as she reached for something on the ground. "Alma, when I say run..." She began. "Run!" With a tremendous roar, she let go of Alma, picking up a long glass shard on the ground as she swung it right at Wyald's face.__

 _ _It shattered instantly on contact, creating only the thinnest of cuts. Wyald was clearly amused by this.__

 _ _"__ ** _ _I like you already."__** _ _Grabbing her sides with both arms, he pulled her up, the fire creating a hellish backdrop as he ignored her struggles. Alma looked on, locked in place by sheer horror. Her mother turned to her, an expression of panic on her face. "Run! Run as fast as you can! Run until you can't see this village behind you anymore!" Alma snapped out of her daze. "But you-" "Just go!" Her mother shouted, loud enough to startle Alma into compliance. Ignoring the sheer, paralyzing terror she felt, Alma turned and ran as Wyald's mouth began to open wide.__

 _ _As she turned the corner, she heard him bite down onto her skull with a sickening crack.__

 _ _It was a sound that she would never forget for as long as she lived.__

 _ _XXX__

Alma finally finished her story, her breathing heavy. Riker was lost in thought. "By the First!" she said, looking at her reflection in the water.

Granberia too had a look of horror on her face, wondering how she could respond to what she had just learned about her new friend. " _ _What should I do-That's it!"__ She said, the solution coming to her. Walking up to Alma, she put a hand on her shoulder. Alma looked up in surprise. In the moonlight, Granberia looked wise beyond her years. "Alma, do you miss your mother? Those who lived in your village?"

"Yes" she responded softly. Granberia continued her speech. "Do you want to avenge them?"

Her hands tightened into fists. "I do."

Granberia's voice grew serious. "Then, fight! You can become a warrior like me." As Alma and Riker looked at her, Granberia kept speaking. "You've seen those human "Heroes"." She continued, disgusted at the idea of people like the Kreuzaders. "They were just mindless butchers. They don't know what it means to be a true hero, or a true Knight, no, a warrior! A warrior fights not only for the sake of it, but for so much more." By now, her voice had become louder, harder. "A true warrior fights to protect those who cannot, to save those who cannot save themselves. They fight to inspire others to do the same, to unleash their potential! To show the world that senseless cruelty and barbarity will not be allowed, not be tolerated as long as we have our swords!"

Standing up, Granberia released the large breath she had been holding. Astonished, Riker and Alma looked at her with wide eyes. At that point, Riker couldn't help herself. "...Kid, that. Was. Awesome!" Letting a large grin grow over her face, she made an offer. "Look, if you ever want to join my clan, I can show you where to find us." Granberia seemed to contemplate this, before shaking her head. "I may someday, but currently I am still training." Alma then proceed to look up to Granberia, her eyes shining with hopeful awe. "Granberia, I've always thought about becoming a fighter, but this just...proves it! Please show me your moves!" She shouted, grabbing the other girl's shoulders. Granberia yelped out in surprise as they both tripped and fell into the water. Not even trying to avoid the massive splash, Riker grinned and held her arms behind her as a storm of water slammed onto her. "Kids..." She thought, laughing at how peaceful the somber day had unexpectedly become.

Then she saw Alma and Granberia tumbling towards her.

 _ _''Oh shit, fuckin' kids-"__ she thought before she was inadvertently dragged under with them.

XXX

 ** **The Mountains of Noah****

In the cold blizzard a large, dark figure walked through the snow.

With a wicked grin on his face, Wyald thought about his last meal as he licked his bloodstained lips.

The man and his oxen had proven to be most welcome mid night snack, yet his belly was still not full. ****"Not enough screaming involved."**** He said aloud to himself, looking at his club. Dried blood from various species lined it, pride filling the beastman as he began to think more about where he was heading. ****"That merchants book was very informative. It's been a while since I sat down to read."**** Now that he knew more about the world around him, he wondered how he should proceed. " ** **Those dragon things look a bit dangerous, but nothings stopping me from going full apeshit if they try to eat me. 'Sides, where I'm going, I probably wont have to worry much."****

 ** **"Heh, these kitsunes sure sound like an energetic bunch. I wonder if their screams will be as exciting as their tails apparently are."****

With that, Wyald turned his hellish gaze towards Yamatai Village as he continued to walk forwards, intent on reaching the peaceful community, the raging storm hanging over him like a shadow.

 ** **After all, nothing in the world could stop him now.****

Arrogance was always one of his major flaws.

- ** **To Be Continued in: The Black Dog, Once More.****

 ** **A/N:****

 **I'll have the special chapters later on instead of earlier, that way they will be less jarring.**

 ** **Any feedback would be much appreciated.****


	4. The Black Dog, Once More

Wyald marched through the snowy blizzard, unbothered by the cold. As he made his way towards Yamatai, he took this moment to think.

 _ **"Huh, I wonder what's going on back home."**_ Ever since he had found himself in this mad world, he had not thought much about Midland. After all, he was essentially in paradise now. No need to think about when he died. In fact, he didn't really care about why and how he was at this place. Still, he was curious over what had happened to the Hawks.

 _The Hawk Raider._ Wyald couldn't help but glower at the thought. That human, whoever the hell he was, managed to beat him. No way around it.

The human had managed to match him blow for blow when Wyald was in his human form. Every trick Wyald used, punching out the man's horse, grabbing his sword, _biting his sword,_ did nothing but slow him down briefly.

For the first time in a hundred years, Wyald had been afraid.

Hiding his fear under laughter and boisterous boasting, Wyald then transformed into his apostle form. The battle than began to completely turn in Wyald's favor, but-

 **SNIKT**

No one had ever managed to hurt him so bad.

At least that part of him was restored in this world.

The battle that followed was absolutely brutal. Wyald punched and the Raider sliced, and they were both bleeding and near death at the end of it.

Somehow, the swordsman survived.

When Wyald was crawling around bleeding and screaming, guaranteed to die, the warrior was still alive, and probably still able to fight. A mere human somehow managed to live through a fight that brought an apostle to the brink of death.

This was not natural.

At least nothing like him was in this world. At the same time, Wyald knew that he would never get his revenge. Not knowing or caring about how to travel back to Midland meant that the swordsman would essentially get away with hurting him.

The bastard was probably off living out his days in peace, might have hung up his sword. He'd killed the beast and saved his commander. Now he was likely retired at the Midland border. Probably living in a cottage like a damn fairy tale.

XXX

 **Koka, Midland**

 _Something was burning._

 **"No! Stop-"** _The Snake apostle screamed in agony, helpless, as Guts fired his crossbow into the monsters face, again and again. Guts suddenly felt the urge to laugh maniacally as he fired away._

 _It did little to bring relief as blood slid down from the Brand on his neck._

 _XXX_

With that dark-skinned woman too, the only one who had ever gotten away from him. They probably lived together, kids on the way, peaceful. They probably watched stars at night together, safe in each others arms.

Wyald's fists clenched. His nails dug into his palms, blood dripping from them.  
XXX

 **The Hill of Swords, Midland**

 _Even though her mind had been reduced to that of a child, even though she had begun to forget the close bond she shared with the man she loved, Casca couldn't help but feel a profound sense of sadness as she stared at the snow covered hill of swords._

 _XXX_

Wyald growled with anger, steam rising from his body.

He took several deep breaths as he tried to calm down.

The Band of the Hawk was no longer his problem, even though they were likely living like kings now. Probably sold their services to Chuder.

XXX

 _''The Prophecy was not mistaken. The "Red Lake" has appeared."_

 _XXX_

At least he could get one small victory. Griffith was likely dead by now. No way he could have lived long with those injuries. Probably passed away in the night. Sure, the Hawks would mourn, but they would go on.

Wyald smiled thinly, only wishing that he could have done the deed himself.

XXX

 _"You...were the only the one... to make me forget my dream..."_

 **I Sacrifice**

XXX

Than last of all...there was Zodd. **Nosferatu Zodd**.

Wyald paused, shivering for a moment before he continued forwards. Zodd had been the one who ultimately killed Wyald, ripping him in half and tearing his guts out. If the Hawk Raider scared him, Zodd completely terrified Wyald. No way he could ever beat a monster like that.

Still, at least there was nothing like that in this world.

By now, he had finally broken through the blizzard. Snowy peaks gave way to grassy plains. If the map was right, he was headed straight towards Yamatai.

He would do well to make sure that everyone there would know **Enjoyment and Excitement.**

XXX

 **Succubus Village**

The nine tailed Kitsune knew that this would not be an easy night when she stepped foot into the remains of Succubus Village.

That elder succubus who lived in the Monster Lord's castle had gotten a message from a carrier familiar, dated a day ago. Apparently, the village had come under attack. Lots of casualties. And at the center of it was a massive human, the one who had managed to instigate this tragedy. The note had clearly been written and sent hastily, and it seemed to have been dated hours earlier. Alipheese decided to send Tamamo to investigate, knowing just how strong and experienced she was. The sheer distance took up a good amount of power because of the teleportation she used, but Tamamo knew that she could still fight.

Then she saw the village.

Dead bodies littered amongst burnt out wreckage.

Mother's had died holding their children.

Some bodies lay impaled on wood in a feral display of cruelty. Some of the human males appeared to have died next to the succubi they had been paired with.

While Tamamo knew very well that some of the humans in the village did not come here willingly, plenty were happy to "serve." It was a fact of life, one she accepted during her countless years of life.

On the surface, she appeared calm, only one eyebrow twitching on her head. On the inside however, Tamamo felt something bottling up inside of her.

Something raw, something fiery that wanted to be let out. Keeping her emotions in check with all she had, she continued to look around for survivors.

All she found was her own personal horror show.

It had been a thousand years, but it still felt like the Great Monster Wars had never ended.

Some bodies had bites taken out of them. Others had burned alive. She was soon unable to tell humans from succubi with the sheer extent of the trauma inflicted on the victims.

Clinically, she took a closer look, focusing as hard as she could.

 _''Blunt Trauma, likely done with some kind of club. The sheer strength needed to pull of limbs. The massive bites taken out. The amount of destruction delivered. The suspect was a human male. But all this...Perhaps a sign of Monster ancestry? Dragon for bites? Orc for strength? Human's born with monster abilities from their parents are Mutation?_

 _A weapon from the War?_

 _Something new entirely?"_

Still deep in thought, she reached the Chief's house. It was in ruins.

She walked through the ruins, observing damaged stone and artifacts. She reached a collapsed room from the looks of it. Pulling open the a damaged door, her eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness inside. She first spotted the torn up fabric of what remained of what appeared to be a dress. One worn by the Chief, if she remembered correctly.

It didn't take long to find what was left of the Chief, along with the corpse of another succubus.

She quickly saw the state of the bodies.

She stood there, absolutely still for five solid minutes.

It took a lot to rend her speechless. This was one of those moments.

A crack formed underneath her feet as she unconsciously drew the breath of the Earth into her body. As the room began to collapse around her, the gnawing feeling in her chest began to make sense.

 **Pure, untamed rage.**

It had been a long, long time since she had hated someone so much.

Walking forwards, she felt her detective stoicism began to slip. She soon found a massive pair of foot prints in the ground, bigger than the other ones around.

It led out of the village.

Pressing her nose against the foot prints, she smelt ape hair much to her confusion.

Bracing her hands into the ground, Tamamo drew as much of the Earth's power as she could into her body.

 _The footprints seemed to create mental map in her head. She could see the trail of footprints stretching out through the forest surrounding the village. The trail seemed to grow and head for-_

Her mental map shattered as she began to breathe heavily, her eyes wide.

The killer was on his way to Yamatai.

No,-he was right on the edge of her home.

No.

 _He had gotten there five minutes ago._

Drawing all of her strength once again, Tamamo stomped the ground, cracking it as she back flipped into the sky with all of her might, shattering stone and tree with her impact.

Hopefully she would get there in time.

XXX

 **Yamatai**

Wyald looked at the sign in front of him, and his smile widened considerably. He held his club as he continued walking forwards. Tree's surrounded him, and he felt his excitement grow as he moved under the cover of darkness. He was eager to hear some screams. He thought about breaking through the front entrance like last time, but then he decided that he would attack from the back for a change. That would be fun. Of course, his performance would need to make a maximum impact on his victims.

Then he got an idea.

Grinning widely, he walked up to a tree and punched it with his dark nailed fist. The tree fell down with a tremendous thud. Grabbing onto it, he held on with both hands. He dragged it behind him only to hear a tapping sound approaching him. Guards.

"We shouldn't be out here big sister.."

"Didn't your hear that? Nothing exciting ever happens around here, let's see what that noise was-"

He turned his head and saw what appeared to be two little white haired girls wearing kimonos.

They also had the lower half's of a white snake.

Not guards, just kids.

Either that Snake Baron had been getting busy, or this was gonna be funner than he thought.

He had half a mind to splatter them, but he pushed that thought away.

He wanted them to see what would happen next.

 **Then they would die screaming.**

Their eyes widened in fear when they saw him. In the darkness, his pale eyes shone like pinpricks. " **Shh**." He said as he made a shushing gesture. **"Stay there, and you might see something fun. Move or scream, and I'll drop the tree on you."** Staying still, the lamia kids dully nodded as they held onto one another. Chuckling quietly to himself, he walked near a good set of tree's. Peering through the spaces, he saw the back of the village.

Humans and monsters walked around together near wooden houses. Some kind of cat thing was playing around in a pool of water. Some older looking people were kneeling in prayer in front of a shrine of sorts, one that depicted a large, nine tailed fox.

Well, better late than never.

Wyald ran forwards, laughing as he held the tree like a battering ram. He busted through several smaller trees, before he slammed his way through a house, and it collapsed on top of him. As the dust settled around him, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him in shock.

On a hill a head of him, a white haired, white tailed lamia wearing plate armor glared at him as she held up a curved sword. Alongside her, several human guards began to pace down the hill at him.

Wyald just grinned as he threw the tree forwards.

He was rewarded with a brutal splattering sound.

The tree slammed through the men, turning them into red paint while the lamia barely dodged to the side, the tree grazing her as she tumbled down the hill into a pool. Pulling his club from his side, Wyald laughed maniacally.

 **"Tonight's act is going to cost and arm and a leg, don't be afraid to step up!''** He howled with laughter as he began to swing at every living thing in sight as humans and monsters began to run away from him.

"Mighty Fox save us-"

"No please I have a family-"

Wyald got his enjoyable, exciting night.

 _Blood rained on him, the entire thing descending into a haze._

Only two minutes passed, and he was already having tons of fun.

"I can't feel my legs!"

 **"Shame."** Wyald chuckled as he bit into a severed limb.

At that moment, he felt a sting in his arm.

He turned and saw a blade buried into his left arm. It had gone through the fur and stopped after coming into contact with his thick flesh. At the end of the blade, a human soldier with a big black beard held onto it and grunted as he struggled to bring it downwards.

Not for long.

 **"Huh, you cut right through the armor, but looks like my arm was too much for you."** Grabbing the blade with his other arm, he casually pulled the blade out and squeezed it.

The katana shattered under his strength. As the man's eye's widened, he casually struck him with his club. He slammed down into the ground, blood pooling under him. "Father!" two young voices yelled amidst the battlefield.

Wyald saw the two young white haired lamias slithering forwards. He then looked at the man, who lay still.

It all made sense now. **"Want to join Papa?"** He cruelly laughed as he turned to them. They once again stiffened in horror when they saw him. Before he took a single step, the man's eyes opened and he lunged at Wyald with the broken edge of his sword. "Don't your dare-" He sprung at him-

and he grabbed his outstretched sword arm mid air. **"Kids. Watch closely."**

He taunted before he thrust a clawed hand into his abdomen.

The man gasped out in pain as four bladelike nails pierced through his red stained back.

 _In and Out, In and Out. Again and again._

Wyald looked him right in the eyes as he bled his guts out over his claw in front him. They were full of fear.

Not for himself.

 **"They'll join you shortly."** Wyald cruelly laughed. Sliding his bloody claw out, he dropped the dead father to ground. He then walked towards the white haired lamia kids.

They clung to each other, tears in their eyes. Their tales flicked around in agitation.

In the moonlight, Wyald's bloodstained form looked like it was from Hell.

He slowly began to lift his club up-

and then a stick flicked against the back of his helmet. Groaning in annoyance, he turned and his mood turned right around.

In front of him was a small Kitsune. She had seven yellow tails, and while she had the upper half of a human, she had the lower half of a fox. Her red eyes peered at him, and she had her hands on her hips. "You bully!'' she yelled, waving a stick at him. Wyald's grin widened almost impossibly wide.

He had finally found a kitsune.

 **"Ready to die?"**

The kitsune threw another stick at him. "You are an asshole, and Mama say's I shouldn't let mean guys bully people around!"

 ** _"Huh, so this one's really young, maybe four or five? She's probably too young really understand this situation."_**

 ** _"I'm gonna love breaking her."_**

"Nanabi! Get back inside!" A woman's voice called, stricken with horror. **"Nanabi, eh?"** Wyald said as he laughed. **"Hello then, I'm Wyald, and I really love the sound of screaming!"** He moved forwards with insane speed, grabbing her by her tails. She yelped out in surprise as he held her in the air in front of him. By now, the survivors of his rampage were either numb with horror or trying to run forwards.

Wyald loved it when a crowd formed.

He held Nanabi out like a shield, deterring anyone who tried to come forwards. He could see the horror and anguish in their eyes.

 **"So Kid,"** he whispered as she tried to squirm out of his grip. Absorbed in the coming murder, he did not hear the rapid stomping behind him. **"Let's see how much fuckin blood's in you!''** He prepared to swing-

Only to blink rapidly in surprise when he found his clubbing arm halted. Something was grabbing it and holding it still. **"The fuck-"** He looked down and saw another small kitsune, this one with nine tails, wearing a kimono with blonde hair and green eyes looking at him. At the same time, he didn't notice one of her tails reaching behind the hand holding Nanabi. A frown on her face was the only indication of any feelings on her seemingly stoic face. Before he could react, she poked him between his ribs.

By the time Wyald realized what was happening, Tamamo had sent him flying backwards through a house twenty feet away.

As he slammed through the rubble, yelling out in surprise, Tamamo gently set Nanabi down. She patted the young kitsune on the head. As the young girl tilted her head, a bigger seven tail with a body similar to Nanabi's ran forwards. "Nanabi, thank the first!" She cried out as she held her daughter to her chest.

Tamamo couldn't help but let out a small smile before she turned back towards Wyald. A grim frown settled on her face.

Wyald's bear belt helmet had fallen off, revealing his messy head of black hair. **"I'm gonna fucking skin you alive!''** He screamed, blood and spittle flying from his lips, his cheerfulness gone as he began to lift his club out of the rubble. Behind her, several villagers had pulled out pitchforks and other assorted farm tools. Her mere presence seemed to change the mood from despair to hope. "Might Fox! Let us help you!" they shouted. "Nya!" a grey haired neko exclaimed as she held up a battle axe. "Don't get involved, I will do this." She responded, yet she couldn't help but feel pride in how quickly they were willing to fight. "Please-" One of them said, but Tamamo put her foot down. Cracks appeared in the Earth around her. "I don't want anyone getting hurt. Stay out of this!" She spoke, this time more harshly. Suddenly, the people gasped as Wyald ran forwards, screaming and roaring as he held his club in both hands.

Tamamo stood, her back turned.

Roaring with rage, Wyald brought his club down onto Tamamo's skull with all of his strength.

His eyes widened as his entire club shattered into bits on her forehead.

Tamamo stood there, her eyes hidden under her hair. A single drop of water, so small it might as well have been invisible, fell from her forehead, and that was all. She cracked her neck.

"My turn."

Thrusting her head forwards, Tamamo head-butted Wyald right in his chest. He yelled out in pain as the middle part of his chest armor shattered, and he flew through the air, going past the tree's where he had busted into Yamatai.

Bracing herself on her knee, Tamamo jumped after him.

XXX

On the green grass outside of Yamatai, Wyald groaned, spitting up blood as Tamamo slowly walked towards him. He wobbled around like a drunkard. This wasn't supposed to happen. **He was strong, nothing could stop him.**

Rain began to fall from the sky, drenching them.

Wyald thrust his head back, howling as steam burst from his mouth. He ran forwards on his knuckles like an ape, mindless with rage as his hand curled up in a fist. He sent a punch flying at Tamamo.

She simply held up her palm, letting it connect. She grabbed his hand and squeezed.

 **SNAP**

Wyald drew his fist back, screaming in pain as the bloodied, bent fingers on his right hand jutted out uselessly.

Tamamo ignored his cries as a single tail shot forwards, slamming into Wyald's chest and body like a cannon, annihilating his armor.

The rest smacked against his chest and head, flesh crunching skin splitting like a jigsaw puzzle.

She finally relented, and Wyald weakly fell forwards, blood spilling from his jaw and across his body. Suddenly, he jumped forwards, roaring. Wyald tried to slam his arms into the side of her head.

Two tails shot upwards, destroying the furry gauntlets on his arms. Another tail snaked around his neck. He gagged as she tightened her grip and knocked him down into the mud. Snarling, he bit down on her tail.

If Tamamo was hurt, she didn't show it.

With a loud yell and a flash of lightning, Tamamo let her anger be known.

Her tail flung Wyald into a nearby tree, knocking it right down with a tremendous blast of noise. Wyald coughed, puking up blood and chunks of meat as he got to his knees. Grimacing, he pulled a chunk of sharp wood out of his back.

He stumbled towards her, raising the tree chunk like a dagger as he panted, not able to roar at this rate.

Tamamo dodged to the side, and a tail shot out, tripping him, and at the same time another tail slammed into his back. Wyald gasped out in pain as he slid through the mud. Steam rose from his wounds.

He could just turn into his apostle form, but-

 _By doing that, he was admitting that she was stronger than him._

 _He remembered being humiliated by a swordsman._

"Wow, Tamamo really is the coolest!" An excited voice said.

Wyald and Tamamo immediately turned around and saw Nanabi standing behind a tree. "Kick his butt, Tamamo!'' She excitedly shouted as she punched the air.

Wyald let a grin loose at Tamamo's horrified face. **"That's my way out of here."** He immediately began to drag himself forwards with all his might. He ran forwards on all four of his limbs, grunting as blood trailed down his mouth.

A yellow tail grabbed his leg. He was flung backwards onto the ground. He tried to pull himself up, but her foot slammed down onto his chest as the rain began to pour down furiously. "Go!" Tamamo said as her tails began to coil around Wyald, referring to Nanabi. The young kitsune blinked. "But-"

"NOW!" Tamamo yelled. Nodding in surprise, Nanabi turned and ran. Tamamo looked down at Wyald, who struggled and roared under her foot. Drawing back, wet in the rain, Tamamo punched Wyald right in his head.

 **THUNK**

His head was knocked to the side, and he gurgled out in pain as a tooth was sent flying from his upper jaw.

Wyald's body rolled to the side, stained with mud and blood, he coughed, teeth and flesh spilling from his mouth His left eye hung uselessly.

A fang had been embedded in Tamamo's hand. With a flex, she shattered it.

Tamamo let out an angry growl as her tails grabbed Wyald's legs and lifted him over her head.

It had been a long, long, time since she had hated anyone so much.

Running forwards, she flung him down onto the stump of the fallen tree. A brutal crunch rang out as the stump shattered under his weight. He rolled off, groaning as his wounds began to take their toll.

Walking away from him, she grabbed the fallen tree and lifted it up with her hands and tail. Wyald walked backwards, hunched over weakly.

 **" no..nuh.."** He weakly moaned as he stumbled about, trying in vain to walk away.

"You think your some kind of ultra badass because you murdered some innocent villagers? Honestly, I don't know where you came from and what you are, and I don't care. The second you met someone who could actually fight back, you fell like a pack of cards. And you instantly run for a hostage because your afraid of dying, aren't you? Doesn't that scare you? You're not just some schoolyard bully who never grew up," She hefted the tree in the air, positioning it like a baseball player about to swing. Her tails snaked around it, ripping off branches.

''You murder and kill because you think it somehow makes you the bigger man, because you're showing that you're not afraid of death. Specifically, you want to believe that you can make yourself less afraid of dying by inflicting it on others." ...Right?"

Wyald's eyes reignited with a familiar rage. " **Kil...ou..."** He growled as he weakly limped forwards, stumbling with his undamaged claw outstretched. **"no...weak..i..win..do...this...tak..you...ta...hell...wit..me"**

"If I see you in Hell,"

... **Run."** She reared back fully, a furious expression on her face, and in that moment, Wyald didn't feel that he was looking at Tamamo.

For one brief moment, Wyald found himself staring at Nosferatu Zodd.

Once again, Wyald felt fear.

Thunder struck behind them.

She swung the tree right at him point blank.

It took less than a second.

Wyald was there one moment, and then he wasn't.

In the distant snow covered mountains, Tamamo saw an explosion of snow as something fell from the sky, and a rough impact echoed in her ears.

Dropping the shattered tree to ground, she walked away, uncaring of how soaked or dirty she was.

Her people needed her.

Whatever that thing was, he likely died on impact.

Had to.

XXX

 _Inside a bedroom, an old man coughed._

 _It was his last day._

 _He had lived a long life. Raised a family. Lived beyond the age of 30, which was already quite the achievement for a peasant farmer._

 _Now, after all these years, his lifespan was finally nearing it's end._

 _He had his regrets, of course._

 _He coughed, blood spilling out. At least he wasn't alone. Near his bed, a young boy with long black hair sat next to him. He looked on sympathetically before raising a pail of water to the old man's lips. The man drank, and when he coughed again, it only came out as little sputter. He thanked the boy, who nodded before going out to fetch some more water. The old man was left with his thoughts._

 _Now he knew his regrets. Nothing major happened to him. He wasn't attacked by a bear. Bandits never pillaged his farm. He wasn't drafted into the army to fight in the war. He had lived a peaceful, uneventful life._

 _And that was exactly what he hated._

 _He never had any excitement in his life._

 _All he wished for was to have done something with his time. Instead, he stayed on the farm, doing the same task's for countless years, never seizing an opportunity to do something truly special._

 _And what did all these years lead to? Him dying in this bed, waiting to rejoin his wife who had passed away years ago? His only son had run off to join the army when he was eighteen. Years later, some guy that looked important dropped off the boy at this house._

 _Told the old man that his son died in battle. Apparently, the boy was his grandson. His own son instructed that he be dropped off to the old man in the event of his death._

 _Well, it wasn't like he had anything better to do. An extra hand around the house was nice._

 _Now, he just wished for it to end, as he regretted and reviewed his life. He could've joined his boy on the battlefield an lived a life of excitement._

 _Instead of spending all his time at the farm, he could've gone to the bar more._

 _Instead of that one time where he met the woman who became his wife, he could've made more friends._

 _He could've learned from them how to live a life of enjoyment._

 _He felt a pounding noise come from his heart, and then the world began to fade to black slowly._

 _Not long now._

 _He let out one final cough, sending a trickle of blood down the side of his bed next to him._

 _Underneath his bed, something brown and egg shaped rolled from under it. His blood fell on it as his eyes began to close._

 _"...Grandpa?"_

 _Then, the world exploded into white light._

 **"Say the words, and we shall grant you a body that will know true power. You shall know no sickness, and the toils of time will not harm you. You will be stronger, faster, just say it!"**

I...

 **I SACRIFICE**

 **XXX**

 **Days Later**

The sun rose over the mountains, heralding the morning rise as a large white crater lay in the ground, snow softly filling it.

Suddenly, a large muscley hand punched it's way through the snow.

Something large and bloody began to rise, shaking off the frost.

 **"No..."** Wyald growled as he pulled himself out. He crawled forwards, holding onto his injured hand.

 **"I'll never be weak like that again...I'll never die slowly again...I won't ever hesitate again..."**

Steam shrouded his body as it began the slow process of healing itself. It wasn't as good as Zodd's, but it would get the job done.

 **"Have to be careful...can't rush next time...I'm still not the strongest, but what do I do...?"**

Wyald paused, hunched in the snow. He had an idea. An awful, horrible idea.

Then he grinned. Then he laughed. Soon, full on psychotic mania set in as he laughed and shook nonstop, steam bursting from the scars on his body.

 **"I know just what to do..."**

Wyald slowly crawled forwards, still laughing despite his earlier humiliation.

 **''Now...how did that fat bastard do it?"**

 **-END**

 **XXX**

 **A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed seeing Wyald finally get his ass kicked. If anyone feels that I went too far, let me know.**

 **Next chapter will once again feature Alma and Granberia. Additionally, we get to see some aftermath of the Yamatai attack.**

 **Trivia: Tamamo's "fight" with Wyald was based off of Frank Castle's beat down of Jigsaw in Punisher: War Zone.**

 **The title is a reference to a chapter of Berserk, ''The Black Swordsman, Once More."**

 **Any reviews or feedback are much appreciated.**


	5. Mini-Chapter: Enjoyment

Mini-Chapter: Enjoyment

XXX

After crawling inch by inch for what best have been days, Wyald was now able to limp forwards on one leg. His other foot dragged behind him, and his broken wrist hung limply at his side. In the snow, his large body was at least obscured. Alone, and with few other creatures around this early in the morning, he only had his thoughts. As steam began to rise from the half of his face that had been shattered under that….. _ _monsters__ fist, his unmarred side sneered in contemplation. He spat out a broken tooth as new teeth began to grow.

 _"_ _ _Stupid….I forgot the importance of the performance. When trying to make an impact, I should have probably tried to be more creative..fuck, charging in like that is how I got my ass broken in the first place."__

Wyald soon came to the edge of a cliff, overlooking numerous snowy slopes. In the very far distance, he could see a hint of green. _"_ _ _Alright then, I need to start acting more like a solider and less like a warrior. Still, I haven't trained a day in my life."__

 **"** ** **But now's the time to try."**** Wyald said aloud to himself, his face having begun to near the end of it's regeneration. Raising his fist back, Wyald dove it into the ground. At the same time, an explosion of steam burst from his body.

 **"** ** **Ah…it's good to be back."**** When the smoke cleared away, Wyald was now three meters in size. White hair covered his body as an eye grew on his left and right shoulder, and his chest respectively. His now white haired human form lay on top of a large, fur-covered body with a massive mouth in the middle of it.

For the first time in weeks, Wyald transformed into his Apostle form.

Pulling his fist out of the ground, Wyald held a large chunk of stone in his hand. Rearing back, he threw it as far into the distance as he could. The stone sailed through the air before skidding across the snow, sending up large plumes of white before it stopped. **"** ** **So my archery skills could use some improvement."**** Wyald mused as he tossed another stone, this one skidding further into a nearby clearing covered in snowcapped trees. The tree's were knocked to the side, sticking out in left and right leaning positions as the stone rolled to a stop. Standing back, Wyald tore a particularly large piece out of the edge before him. This one looked big enough to fit in his giant mouth.

 **"** ** **Wait a minute."**** Quickly thinking, he tossed it in. His large lower mouth chewed and crunched up the stone, and then with a quick contraction of his muscles, a barrage of rock burst from his maw. Like a storm of artillery fire, the rocks rained down onto the tree's, ripping them into two and fully knocking them down. Wyald laughed as he scratched his head.

 **"** ** **I didn't know I could do that! This could come in handy…."****

One last thing to try. Backtracking twenty feet from the edge, Wyald suddenly ran forwards.

Laughing manically, he jumped from the edge. **"** ** **Wyald Jump!"****

As he slammed down onto the earth below, sending a flurry of frost and branches into the air, Wyald knew that there was something he would need. **"** ** **I'm gonna need an army…it doesn't matter if they aren't willing. I can rule by fear."**** He sighed nostalgically as a crack of steam heralded his return to human form, remembering the Black Dog Knights.

 **"** ** **But if all goes according to plan, I won't have to worry much about keeping everyone in line."****

 ** **After all, that freak never had any problems with making an army, so why should I?****

 ** **XXX****

 ** **Elsewhere  
****  
 _ _"Guts...I remember everything..the Hawks...Griffith...the l-lake!"__

 _ _The sound of someone falling, then armor clanking.__

 _ _"I'm right here, Casca. I'm..so sorry that he-"__

 _ _"Don't blame yourself Guts. Because I'm going to kill him."__

 _ _I'm going to kill Griffith.__

 _ _...__

 _ _"Guts, don't let go of me. Let's stay like this for a while."__

 _ _Minutes passed, only the rustling of the wind around them.__

 _ _"..I've been waiting so long for this."__

 _ _"Me too, Guts. Thank you for taking of her for so long."__

 _ _"Thank you for taking care of Elaine."__

"Farnese, let's stay back. This is their moment, not ours."

"I couldn't agree more, Master."

 **-END**


	6. Father's Day

The old farmer was digging a hole when he received the bad news.

"Mr...Wyatt, I presume? I regret to inform you that your son perished at the Battle of-"

He wasn't surprised when he heard that his son had died. Hell, the boy had ran off to join the army years ago at the tender age of sixteen. Decades had passed. His father, now an old man, simply nodded as this news was delivered to him.

It was on a sunny day, on a farmstead surrounded by rocky hills and wooden fences. Down a hill, one could see an idle looking town. The farm was simple, one barn and a small house not far from it.

His family had worked on this farm for generations, and he had inherited it from his father, as did his father from his grandfather. The farmer had lived and worked on the farm for years, only going to town every now and then for supplies and ale. The farm and the village next to it was located deep in Midland itself, thankfully far from the border and the raids that naturally came with the war.

The old farmer was not a very notable person. He was head shorter than the armored Midland soldier delivering the news to him, and he remained focused on his digging, his small head of white hair barely protecting him from the sun.

XXX

 _His life was a simple one: He worked on the farm, sold what he grew, then used that money to get supplies to do it all again. It was not very exciting, but it was simple and routine. Wild animal attacks and the like were very rare, and he was too old to be conscripted into the army ever since that war broke out with Chuder a few years ago. He occasionally went to town and had a drink, but that was the gist of his interactions with those in the village. The only one he really ever connected to was his wife, a woman who was as plain and apathetic as he was._

 _Indeed they had met in a bar, gotten drunk, and did what drunken young people usually do together._

 _Four weeks later, she came to him, confessing that she felt sick._

 _Another week passed, and they were married._

 _His parents passed away not long after, and he and his wife worked at the farm. Nothing much changed, really. Like his mother and father before him, he and his wife worked, sold, worked, and sold. It was a life that didn't sound all that grand, but it was peaceful for what it was worth._

 _Than she had their child. A boy, he was nearly the complete opposite of his parents. Where they preferred peace and quiet, he seemed to enjoy running and making noise. Where they didn't speak much except when they were doing business, he really liked to talk, often asking about the world. Of course, having lived most of their lives on the farm (Apart from the occasional bit of news at the pub), they rarely had anything much to say that didn't involve farming._

 _While they were content with a simple life of farming, the boy wasn't. While he never said it out loud, one just had to take one look at the son's frustrated face to know that he did not enjoy the work, that he wanted something more._

 _On the exact day that he turned sixteen, he finally ran out, yelling something about how "The army will actually be exciting!". He and his wife watched, shrugged, and got back to work._

 _He never wrote back to them, so they assumed he was busy or dead. When the farmer's wife took ill years later, he still remained in the army. They understood, he had a job to do._

 _When his wife finally passed away, he was surprised by the fact that he actually wished for his son to come home._

 _When five years passed without any word from the front, the old man simply picked up a rake and went back to work, apathetic as usual._

XXX

The soldier delivering the news wore shining steel plate-he was clearly of high status-as he delivered the information. If the man was bothered by the old man's nonchalance, he didn't show it.

"With his dying words, your son has bequeathed his surviving progeny to you-"

This made the old man pause. Wait, was that what he thought it meant-

From behind the soldier, a young boy with long black hair stepped forwards. He looked up at the farmer, eyes wide. "Grandpa?"

Son of a bitch.

XXX

Wild.

That's the best way the boy could be described, as the old man thought. He loved to run, to dash around the farm, laughing to himself, even more so than his father.

Which made it all the more surprising was the fact that the boy enjoyed the work. He did not complain like his father did, actively seeming to love being near the animals.

Soon, he and his grandfather were working side by side in the field. After these years, despite his usual apathy, it was nice to have some extra help once more.

When he decided to ask the boy if he knew the identity of his mother, he shyly responded that he "didn't really know".

The old man decided to leave that train of thought alone for now.

So, peaceful days came and went as usual, the old man still doing his job mechanically, only slightly stirred by the world around him.

Then came the day the boy broke the wall down.

XXX

Five years passed, and the boy was now a healthy preteen, still excitable as ever.

It was night. The farmer was starting to nod off in a creaky wooden chair, while the kid was walking around upstairs, apparently having fun with sliding up and down the stairs.

That's when he heard a crash and a yelp of surprise from above. Sighing, he got to his feet, somewhat sluggishly due to his age. Wandering upstairs, he wondered what mess the boy had gotten himself into now-  
He found him sitting dazed next to a part of the wall that had been broken open. A stream of dust poured out, and as he sighed, a book fell out from the hole. Picking it up, he looked into the hole.

He paused at what he saw.

Inside the hole, multiple books lay in a circle. In the middle of the circle lied the skeleton of a small animal. Reaching in, despite the bizarre sight, he picked it up for closer inspection. The boy shivered and hid behind his grandfather, rightfully finding it bizarre.

While it had the body of a rat, it had been largely modified.

Three snake skulls, with parts of the necks, had been tied with rope to the socket where it's head used to be, as if to replace the head of the rat, making it look like a small hydra. On it's back, four bony bat wings had been strung across the spine, with the wings spread open like the creature was bout to take flight. He told the boy to go fetch a torch, and he immediately dashed downstairs, not wanting to be near the skeleton any longer. The old man continued his inspection.

All the limbs had been removed from the rats sockets, and there the space was filled by what appeared to be human finger bones, which loosely hung from the where they had been crudely fitted on to replace the limbs. In the back, at the spot where the rats tail would be, the skull of a small crow had been fitted, with he beak opened like it was in mid screech.

It was clearly an abomination, this barely held together forgery. Some would have dropped it. Other would have burned it. But to the old man, it was….interesting.

Why would someone make this? Who made this? How did it get into his walls?

For the first time in awhile, the corners of the old man's mouth began to twitch. For the first time in a while, he felt excitement.

And then the thing crumbled to dust in his hands just after he committed it's design to memory.

He sighed, disappointed, as the boy walked back up the stairs with the lantern.

Peering into the smashed wall, he the light illuminated the insides.

Scratches lined the inside of the wall, like something was in there. On the ground where he had found the messed up skeleton, some words had been carved into the ground.

VANA LIVES

He had no idea what that meant. Was it a name? Perhaps, for the skeleton thing. He decided to check out the books. All of them were old and worn, and when he opened them he was immediately confronted by an obstacle.

None of them were written in a language he understood. These book's really were old.

After flipping around the pages, he saw that some books would feature drawings.

One showed a knight in black armor and cape, with a helmet resembling that of a skull, wielding a sword, one with a grip covered in thorns from the look of it. The knight was charging into battle against what looked to be a mass of giant, spike covered worms. Another drawing featured what appeared to be a young girl in robes fleeing on horseback from a group of burning, flying skulls.

If there were more drawings, they were probably lost, for the book itself had many torn, ripped pages. The years had not been kind.

The final notable drawing in this book showed the Black Knight and the young girl from earlier, standing side by side. He held out his sword, and she held out a staff wreathed in fire.

In front of them lay a giant red colored hand. In its palm, a black wreathed figure began to rise up, concealed in a black cloak. On a closer look, one could notice that the cloaked figures head was swollen near the top, as though it had expanded.

Then, the book ended. Being late at night, he decided to go to bed. The boy went to his own, bed finally tired himself.

The next day, instead of immediately working on the harvest, he read the books he pulled out.

One book had a drawing of a heart, for 50 pages.

Another consisted of 30 pages of giant, deformed humans eating smaller humans.

Another had the image of a man in silver armor and a skull-like helm charging into battle with an army of knights at his back, battling against another army of knights. The inside of that book was heavily defaced, with scratches, crudely made insults, and drawings of a rude hand-made gesture dotting every page. Whoever found this book before him clearly had no love for it's subject, the armored skull-knight.

Another book contained pages upon pages of drawings of monsters. One image showed what looked like a cross between a lion and a bull, hunched over a river and drinking from it.

Said river was red, with a human limb or two sticking out of it.

Most of the pages contained images of other inhuman beasts partaking in slaughter, either of each other, or of human beings.

Looking back at his book pile, he also opened one book and found it to be hollowed out. Inside of it was a brown, egg shaped thing that appeared to have mismatched facial features sculpted across its surface. Weird. Still, it's not like some random idol would help him decipher the books. Casually, he tossed it behind his back. It banged off the wall before rolling under the bed.

The rest of the books were like that, containing incomprehensible passages of writing and the occasional drawing of a monster.

After all these years of mediocrity, there was just something….fascinating about it. He was actually feeling..excited. Of course, all good things come to an end.

XXX

One week later

Things turned back to normal soon enough. The old man would read the books at night, and the boy would play. The kid notably did not mention anything from that night, likely not interested in it.

On an ordinary afternoon, the boy was grabbing sticks across the farmland. Fall had begun, and they would need the firewood for the coming winter.

The farmer, his mind off of the bizarre discovery from not too long, mulled over whether or not any of the animals on his farm would have to be slaughtered for meat as he dug a new hole.

That's when he felt it.

His heart felt heavy, and then he felt suddenly lightheaded.

At his age, it wasn't that surprising.

With a grunt, the man coughed up a splotch of blood and fell to the ground. He heard a faint noise, someone shouting, then something running towards him.

"Grandpa!"

He had to give the kid credit.

Dragging him from the fields to the bed was quite the task.

XXX

When two months passed without any sign of him recovering, it was clear to both the boy and the man that it wouldn't be long now, but they never said it out loud. There was no need to.

He just ate and drank what his grandson brought him, knowing that it would be futile in the end. In fact, where most would have given up on him, the boy still did his best to ease the old man's passing.

In fact, he kept a close eye on the boy himself. Despite the situation, the kid was still as quick as ever, running up and down to do the chores of the house by himself.

Seeing the boy so alive, so full of youthful energy, the old man remember his earlier thoughts on the boy.

Wild.

In that moment, he envied the one decades younger than him.

The books provided slight entertainment for him. He may have even enjoyed trying to figure out what was happening from the drawings, even though he only had black and white colored drawings to plot his ideas out. To him, there was a sense of awe at seeing how the figures in the drawings seemed so strong, so powerful.

He wished he could've been like that.

XXX

 _Inside a bedroom, an old man coughed._

 _It was his last day._

 _"...Grandpa?"_

 **"Say the words, and we shall grant you a body that will know true power. You shall know no sickness, and the toils of time will not harm you. You will be stronger, faster, just say it!"**

I...

 **I SACRIFICE**

XXX

 _It was in the dead of night when the farmhouse exploded in a burst of steam. A primal roar broke the night as something massive, pale-furred and hunched like a bear, stolled out of the ruins._

 _The first thing it felt was hunger. An intense hunger._

 _On its stomach, a giant mouth opened up, mist briefly puffing out as it brought a massive fist down onto the side of a barn._

 _Panicked squeals and grunts were ignored as it reached in and grabbed a good-sized pig, the creature struggling in it's grip as it brought the animal into it's maw._

 _There was an echoing crunch as it's teeth slammed down._

 _Then, the sound of animals screaming in terror as something sticky and red rained on them._

 _The creatures lower mouth gulped down the meat, the pig's other half soon following._

 _Then, the large maw curled up into a smile._

 _ **More.**_

 _A few lucky animals managed to run between his legs, scattering off as it forced itself into the barn, crushing a few underfoot as more unlucky animals were scooped into his maw. The barn collapsed around him, a severed leg or in between his teeth. A cow tried to run around him-_

 _Almost on instinct, something long and spiky snapped out of his mouth like a whip, scooping the terrified animal up into his mouth._

 _He walked out of the devastated remains, blood staining his fur. This entire massacre had only gone on for less than five minutes._

 _Still, it's belly was not full._

 _It walked forwards, now on two legs, drool seeping from both's of it's smiling mouths._

 _Five eyes looked down on the town below the farm._

 _Charging forwards, it ran, before leaping from the top of the hill into the town below._

 _His wild stomp brought him directly onto a small house, killing the inhabitants within nearly instantly._

 _They were the lucky ones._

XXX

No one was spared. Steam trailed behind him as he stood at the entrance of the village, much shorter now, but his huge, muscly body and the blood around him made his role in the carnage clear.

Looking back, he saw the village in ruins. Blood lined the streets. Bodies, some half-eaten, some broken and brutalized like they had been struck by a cannon.

Like many apostles, he finally had a truly coherent thought about what he had just done. About the blood he had spilled and drank. About what he did to get this power.

He wanted to do it again.

No more being a stupid farmer.

No more being sick.

No more being weak.

From now on, there would only be two things for him to strive for.

Enjoyment and Excitement.

Disappearing into a nearby forest, Wyald laughed as he left his old life behind.

XXX  
 _For decades, rumors would persist among the folk who lived on the edge of deep forests, of a beast wandering the massive, deepest forests on the borders of Midland. Of some kind of ape-like thing assaulting all living things who came in it's path._

 _Those who crossed it would be devoured or cruelly torn limb from limb, they said._

 _And if you were a woman? God help you, they said._

 _They called it sasquatch._

 _But the war with Chuder was raging on. Some said that it would last a hundred, maybe even a thousand years. With all this going on, few had the manpower or interest in chasing after a myth._

 _Then, one day, in a place were the worst scum of Midland were gathered, the myth became reality._  
 ** _  
"Your Highness. On top of that tower I'm giving you a new sculpture."  
_**  
 _In the following years, this would not be the only myth to come true._  
 ** _  
XXX_**

 ** _"The Black Dog Motto!"_**

 _"Enjoyment and Excitement!"_

 _XXX_

"It's Nosferatu Zodd!"

In front of the battle weary Band of the Hawk, a gigantic beast slammed to the ground behind Wyald. It's great wings blocked out the sun as it towered over the bleeding, half blinded ape man.

Compared to the massive Feline-esque minotaur behind him, Wyald was like a child.

Hefting him up, Zodd was eerily quiet as he impaled Wyald's back onto his horns.

Wyald screamed in agony, holding up Griffith in a shaking hand.

 **"Griffith is going to die! They were wrong he won't be the fifth one-"**

 **"THEN YOU'll DIE FIRST!"**

With a roar, Zodd grabbed onto the impaled apostle and pulled-

XXX

With an agonized shriek, Wyald burst open as he was ripped in two. Griffith slipped out of his hands, onto the ground. Without hesitation, Guts ran forwards to drag his commander to safety. Staring down at Griffith, Zodd's gaze was pitiless.

 **"It will return to you. That's is it's nature."** Than with a flap of his wings, the apostle was in the air. Steam began to leak from Wyald's shrinking body, creating a smoke like effect as Zodd's wings stirred up the dust and wind in the clearing.

"What is the Eclipse? Does it have something to do with that monkey?"

Zodd glared down at one of the few swordsman to have fought him and live.

His fiery gaze matched Guts expression of rage.

 **"You'll know soon. Very soon."**

Just like that, Zodd was gone.

"C-Casca...look!" One young Hawk shakily pointed at Wyald's decaying body.

From between the two torn halves of Wyald's body, twisted, almost snakelike figures rose.

They were all severely decayed, and with a start, Guts recognized a twisted figure as one of the many victims Wyald had impaled during his beginning charge.

Among one of the decayed ghost's, there was one with a fleshless head, a lone eyeball hanging out of its socket as a few long black hairs swayed on it's head. This eye turned and stared down at Wyald.

 _Welcome home, Grandfather._

Then, they dragged him down to Hell.

 **-END**

XXX

For eagle eyed viewers, I've left a few surprises.

Some of this stuff mentioned in this chapter will become important later on.

College is coming up, will be a while before I can post again.

See Ya.


	7. The Godhand: Episode One

Ubik, the Godhand of Knowledge, knew that this was the best chance that he had to put his scheme into action. None of the other Godhand's knew what he was up to, which made waiting until they were all distracted all the more tense.

Conrad was off sleeping in a pile of rats, Void was hard at work making new behelits, Femto was busy going over his plans for world conquest, and Slan herself was off presiding over some random pagan ritual somewhere. After looking back to make sure he hadn't been followed, he flew into the space Slan usually resided in during her "Off Work Time". He carefully maneuvered his small form around the massive tentacle beasts that resided in her own private part of the Nexus, all while keeping his eyes on his destination. Finally, he reached what he was looking for. Right next to the hole where she usually slept in was a brown chest with a lock. Of course, he knew better. Ubik produced a bloody key from his mouth, and he walked towards the chest, holding the key up. " _Now I will finally know the secret she's been hiding from her fellow Godhands all this time_!" He thought, a ghoulish grin growing on his face. Placing the key in the lock, he turned it. With a click the lock fell to the ground. Ubik opened the chest without any hesitation.

His eyes widened as he saw what lied within the chest.

He began to laugh manically.

"Heh, I'm surprised yet pleased at the same time! This was just what I was looking for!"

He greedily reached inside. If Ubik had any idea about the consequences that would result from this action…..

…..He probably would have done it way sooner.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
**  
"-half an hour later, Femto was flying around calling himself "The Hawkman", Zodd was shouting at some statues while demanding that they kneel before him, and, I only vaguely recall doing this, but I had apparently invited most of the apostles from the eclipse (Those not killed by the Black Swordsman) to the Nexus. They probably expected another big sacrifice, not-HAHA"

Ubik laughed as he smacked the table that he was sitting at, still clearly under the effects of all of the hallucinogenic drugs he had taken from Slan's chest. "Hrm" Conrad, Godhand of filth, grunted neutrally, as he sat at the poker table, calmly handing out behelit chips for the game between him and Ubik. Ubik attempted to compose himself, and then he continued on "They probably weren't expecting all that, uh, stuff and things lying around, but nevertheless they took their chances. Still, it was a very fun party thanks to Slan's weed and the other assorted drugs I was passing out. Everyone was actually pretty calm and chill. Hell, we were about to form a conga line with yours truly at the front, when Femto crashed into the mountain of Cocaine he had set up earlier." Ubik paused. "You know Conrad, I can't believe you slept through this all of this-

"Weren't we playing a game?" Conrad rumbled. "Ah yes, how is the score?" Ubik commented, turning to the one holding the scoreboard. Currently, they were both tied.

Donovan, the one holding the scoreboard, looked up. "I'm getting payed for this, right?"

"No." Ubik casually said before getting back to the game. Donovan shrugged. At least he wasn't going to be in the vortex for the next few hours.

Ubik then continued his explanation. "So, Femto had a….unique reaction to the cocaine, you could say. It had the effect of a laxative. So, I remember laughing while all of the other apostles were running away from the literal tornadoes of shit-

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"-until I realized that all that shit was flying at me too"

 **XXXXXXXX**

"-thank causality, Slan arrived to the rescue with a flood of troll blood she had snatched from Qlipoth-

 **XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Femto opened up a hole in the floor so that everyone could finish puking their guts out. Just when it was finally over, Void showed up, and let me tell you, he was pissed-

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"And when he charged at me, screaming obscenities, that's when I realized that he was under the influence of the bath salts." Ubik lifted his glasses up, revealing the two bloody holes where his eyes used to be. " I barely made it out after he ate my eyes off of my face." Ubik scratched his head. "Also, he was saying something about how the vortex had been disrupted and how some souls had escaped and it was all my fault." Ubik laughed. "Maybe I did do that in my drug induced insanity, or maybe he just hallucinated. Luckily for me, Zodd, who was under the belief that it was "Football season" (Clearly some Illusionary idea created by the drugs.)", tackled him, which allowed me to run away here. My guess is that at this point, all that running around earlier during that literal shit storm must have spread the cocaine and the other hard drugs into the air, because everyone began to attack each other. So now we have until the drugs wear off before everyone (Or at least Void) comes after me for embarrassing them. My best choice is to lay low here and hope that their memories will be potatoes when the drugs wear off." Ubik leaned back in his chair. "Of course there's my blindness, but I'm sure you will be willing to help me come up with a good enough explanation."

"No"

"Worth a try at least. Well, I've lived for hundreds of years, so the loss of my eyes isn't much. In fact, it only happened because another Godhand attacked me. Anyone else would fail." Suddenly, a calm smirk settled onto the small entities face. "You know, since we have the time, I might as well tell you a secret that few others know. The secret of those who came before us."

Conrad blankly stared at Ubik. "I already know this story. I too have been a part of the Godhand for hundreds of years." Ubik waved his hand at Conrad. "Well, you slept through half of the initiation process anyways. Besides, I'm also doing this for the sake of our guest here." Ubik pointed to Donovan, who put the scoreboard on the ground, having become genuinely interested. Ubik floated above the table. He began to speak.

"You see, The other four and I are actually the second set of Godhands. In other words, we are the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth Godhands respectively." Ubik began to smile as he settled into his familiar role as the master of exposition. "Before we took their places, there were five angels."

"The first of the Godhand."

"It all started during the reign of King Gaiseric, or as we know him now…."

"The Skull Knight. But this is not his story."

-END

 **This is a Special Chapter from the Old Story, reposted here so it wouldn't be as jarring as it was in the first story.**


	8. Halloween Special

**Another Time, Another Place**

 **The Forest of Spirits**

 _"Oh, I've never seen a boy fairy before-"_

 _"How cute-"_

 _"I'd like to prank you-"_

 _"Can I see your-"_

 _"_ I'm being surrounded on all sides! Do something!" Puck nervously shouted as he found himself cornered in the middle of the forest by a growing crowd of female fairies, all of them interested by the new arrival. "I'm an Elf, dammit..." he muttered under his breath as their numbers increased.

"You'll be fine." Puck's ally casually quipped, easily dodging a sweeping vine from the monster he was fighting.

With a quick swing, he severed the vine, leaving the limb to thrash on the ground as it spurted green blood.

Despite the injury, the beast continued forward.

It was a horrific abomination. In it's center, the dead corpse of a blond woman served as a core for the monster. It did not show any sign of a reaction to the battle around it, increasing the unnerving feeling coming from it. Her body was covered by vines that sprung off into larger vines that acted as attack tentacles for the creature. Some of these vines had large flowers at their ends, weapons meant for sucking the life force of whoever fell into their grips. It was monster meant for spreading terror and agony, a hulking mass of plant and human life.

To the inhabitants of the forest, it was a living nightmare.

To Guts, it was a light snack.

The Black Swordsman stared down the approaching monster as it walked on top of it's own severed limbs and flowers. Even though all of its tentacles had been amputated by the Dragonslayer, it still walked forward, never changing it's expression as blood spewed from it's now useless arms. It was weaponless, bleeding, and weakened, yet it still refused to stop fighting.

Guts nodded. He could respect that dedication.

He swung the Dragonslayer downwards, sending a massive spray of blood into the air.

The Chimera Dryad fell, it's two halves falling on either side of the berserker. With the death of the humans host's brain, the plant half of the chimera rapidly wasted away.

A calm feeling settled across the Forest of Spirits.

A few seconds later, the fairies of the forest began to erupt in applause, glad to finally be free of the terrible threat. They eagerly danced in the sky, finally giving Puck the chance to flee. He eagerly flew into Guts satchel, and he did not come out.

Guts flicked the blood off his blade as he took stock of his situation. Ever since he and his travelling party had ended up here two months ago, things had gone surprisingly well. They had something of a guess on how they had gotten here, but they were not to sure. They clearly remembered what they were doing beforehand, however.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **THEN**

Guts remembered the pure joy he felt when Casca was restored to her normal self. When he finally got around to asking her what she wanted to do, she was quite clear. " _I want to kill him Guts. I want to kill Griffith."_ While a part of him just wanted to settle down on Elfhelm Island, another part of him agreed with her completely. Of course, as usual, he didn't get much choice in the matter.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **"STRUGGLER"** _The Skull Knight intoned, having rode in through the front doors of the dining hall. Guts stared at him with a serious expression. When the Skull Knight showed up, it usually meant that things were about to get grave. "What do you have for me this time old man?" Guts calmness contrasted with the rest of the men and women in the hall, who immediately went either on their guard (In the case of Azan, Roderick, and Serpico.) or freaked out (Puck and Magnifico.) Ignoring them, the dead emperor continued speaking._ _ **"THE TIME FOR ACTION HAS COME. THE TIME FOR ME TO FIGHT ALONGSIDE YOU HAS BEGUN. IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO FINALLY KNOW THE HAWKS TRUE PLAN."**_ _And just like that, the Skull Knight ended his neutral vigil and revealed Griffith's true plan to the assembled guests. When he was finished, it became clear to everyone there that idly standing by was not an option at all._

 _Thinking back on it, it was obvious. Ruling over all of Midland was not enough for the White Hawk. He could only be satisfied when everything was his, and his alone. Guts cracked his neck as he walked inside of the little house he and Casca had made into their home. Pulling open a closet, he beheld the Dragonslayer and the Berserker Armor._ _ **The Beast inside of him howled**_ _._

 _XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

 _Time passed quickly. His days were spent training nonstop with his comrades. His nights were spent with Casca as they spent their time strategizing...for the first half hour. The rest of their time was spent passionately making up for the years they had lost._

 _XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

 _More time passed._

 _He remembered more events as life passed by._

 _He remembers joining the alliance against Griffith. The remaining human armies, Chuder, Yith, and the Bakiraka._

 _He remembers seeing various astral beings joining the fight. Gnomes, centaurs, water spirits, fire spirits, and other innumerable inhumans._

 _He remembers meeting Rickert, who had grown up to become the leader of a Kushan Assassin clan._

 _He remembers the united armies finally laying siege on Falconia._

 _From then on, everything was just a blur of blood and guts._

 _XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

 **HELL**

 _He has finally done it. Clad in the Berserker Armor, Guts stands tall with the blood of countless apostles staining his blade. Apostles that would have given him serious trouble even during his Black Swordsman days were easily slain. Now, he has finally found his object of his hatred._

 _Griffith stands before him in this valley of skulls, the valley were the Black Hawk first rose. The Hawk of Darkness is standing in his black demonic form, as tall and muscled as any apostle._

 _He is also on the defensive for the first time in his new life, bloody scars covering his demonic, hawklike form._

 _This battle has gone on for a very long time.  
_

 _Griffith's face rapidly switches between tranquility and hate. The fact that he might lose is slowly destroying his sanity. By contrast, Guts is calm, even though the helm of the Berserker Armor is over his face._

 _This time, he believes that he can win._

 _The Dragonslayer ran forward, ready to end Griffith's retched life._

 _He rushes forward at Griffith, his sword posed to end the unearthly ones existence. Suddenly, his entire body was stopped inches in front of Griffith, the Hawk's arm outstretched. Just like that day he fought the Count. Griffith makes a motion to send Guts flying through the air-_

 _But Guts stays firmly in place, fighting against the power. Griffith's calm face begins to slowly undo._

 _This time, the Struggler is not fighting for revenge. He is fighting for Casca, and Farnese, and Serpico, and Isidro, and Puck, and Schierke, along with countless others. This time, the 100 Man Slayer has many more things to lose._

 _He then remembers when, just before the battle, how Schierke had whispered into his ear, telling him about the signs of life she felt coming from Casca's belly._

 _As though he was never restrained to begin with, Guts brought his hulking sword down upon Griffith's out stretched arm._

 _In less than a second, the limb has been cut into five different pieces. Before the pieces hit the ground, he has thrust his_ _sword into Griffith._

 _At this point, the Hawk of Darkness finally starts screaming._

 _XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

 _The Berserker charged forwards, Griffith still impaled on his sword, screaming in pure agony as blood begin to flow out of him, splashing onto the infernal plains of the Nexus. His relentless charge sends them smashing through mountains of behelits, into stray war demons wandering around the red dimension. Finally, he reaches the Giant hand of God. Reaching the top of it, he impales Griffith into the middle finger, all the way up to the hilt. Leaving him there, he turns to see what is happening around him._

 _His companions await. Casca stands over Ubik, pulling her earth-enhanced sword out of his eye socket. Isidro and Serpico stand panting as they overlook the burning remains of Conrad. Farnese straddles Slan, the gorgon restrained by magical vines as Schierke swings her burning staff onto Slan's face, with Farnese impaling the demon again and again with her silver daggers._

 _All three Godhands bear the glowing wounds born from the Sword of Actuation._

 _Their victories would not have been possible without the Skull Knight's help. And the King himself-_

 _stood at the "Ceiling" of the interstice, the spine of Void clutched between his teeth. With a loud crunching noise, he bites through the spinal cord, and Void's head falls to the floor. He then raises the sword, energy bursting from it. At the finger, Dark flames rise from Griffith as he begins to slowly push the Dragonslayer out of him._

 _"Where do you think your going?"_

 _Running up to Griffith, Guts pushes the sword back into him, forcing him back into the finger. Griffith's screams increase in intensity as Guts holds him in place._

 _Meanwhile, the Skull Knight begins to raise his sword into the air. His intention is now clear. He going to destroy this place, and all that lives inside of it. It is the only way to be sure._

 _With what is left of his strength, Griffith releases a burst of dark power throughout the Nexus, throwing everyone except Guts off their feet. Isidro groans as he looks over the edge, and then his eyes widen. "Guys?" Isidro wordlessly pointed down below._

 _A swarm of decayed, nearly skeletal monsters runs and climbs up the hand. Guts recognizes several of them._

 _The Snake Baron. The Great Goat. Vlad Tepes._

 _Griffith has broken the fundamental rules of the universe, opening up the vortex of souls in an act powered by fear and hate._

 _Guts grins. He accepts this challenge._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 _The fellowship continues to battle. Serpico sends an army of trolls blasting off of the hand. Isidro impales the Great Goat, whom has been distracted by Puck's light, with his Flame Dagger, cooking it's insides as it tries to shake him off. Casca swiftly dodged under the Barons tail before climbing his head like a mongoose, impaling him through the brain with her sword. Vlad reaches forwards with his telekinesis, but compared to Griffiths, it is nothing. Guts splits his skull into four pieces before sending him over the side. His fat corpse falls down, knocking more monsters off like a bunch of dominos before he finally hits the ground. Farnese expertly throws a silver dagger into the throat of a Kelpie, the enchanted silver cutting through it's watery barrier. Schierke swings her staff, burning an entire wave of blobs to cinders and ash._

 _Meanwhile, The Skull Knight's dimension destroying attack is near release. His skeletal horse runs around, ready to spirit the group to safety. Having thinned the numbers enough, Guts get's ready to leave, only to see Griffith standing at the edge. He spreads his leathery wings, ready to take flight-_

 _Only to be impaled by the Dragonslayer, sending out a spray of blood and organs through his front as he coughs and sputters. Thrusting Griffith over his head with a roar of rage, Guts impales the hawk into the palm of the giant hand. This time, he is not going to pull his sword out. He is going to stay here until the Skull Knight strikes._

 _ **HE WILL NOT LET GRIFFITH LIVE TO HURT HIS FAMILY AGAIN.**_

 _He yells at them to get onto the horse, to escape and live, but they refuse._

 _They will stay with him until the end._

 _The Skull Knight looks at the group, his expression unreadable._ _ **"IT'S TIME, STRUGGLER."**_ _He brings his sword down._

 _The energy ripples throughout the interstice, blowing everything up. The creatures swarming around it shattered like glass._

 _Guts kept Griffith impaled in the ground, the dark hawk thrashing and screaming as his plans come to ruin. Amazingly, he starts pushing the Dragonslayer out of him._

 _And then Casca impaled her sword into his mouth, forcing him down. The rest of the group follows suit. If they die, they will do so making sure that no one else will have to live in a world where Griffith exists. The Sylph Sword buries itself into his left arm. A silver dagger stabs through his right palm. The Salamander Dagger stabs into Griffiths right leg. An earth Golem forces down Griffiths left leg, it's arms cracking under the pressure._

 _And Puck stomped on the White Hawks crotch again and again._

 _Finally, the Skull Knight's attack catches up to them, surrounding them with engulfing energy. Just for good measure, the first King of Midland swings one more time onto the top of the hand._

 _Then, everything went white._

 _When they came to, they were on a grassy plain. Guts looked to the ground._

 _All that was left of Griffith was melted armor, grey dust, and burned feathers._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They were all expecting to die, not to be sent to this place. When they first arrived in the grassy plains of Natalia, they thought that they had simply been transported to somewhere in Midland by the dimension warping attack. A few looks around the town of Port Natalia quickly proved them wrong. The appearances of the local "Monsters" also helped with proving their presumptions wrong. Guts and his group quickly realized that they had been sent into another dimension entirely. With no other way of contacting their homeland, they decided that they would simply survive in this new land.

 **NOW-San Ilia**

Earlier that day, everyone had started with their tasks. Farnese and Casca were hunting crocodiles together outside of town. Isidro was checking the local bar for bombs (Truth: Flirting with the women.), Schierke was out of town helping that boy-Luka, he recalled,- investigate the haunted manor, while Guts, Puck, and Serpico had come to the Forest of Spritis to hunt down a bounty on a rogue monster. Standing over the remains of the deceased chimera, Guts frowned.

The monster in the bounty description was far different than what he had just killed. The bounty described it as being covered in "White fur", having an "ape like stature", and being as tall "as a house". The creature that he had killed did match any of the above descriptions. In fact, when Guts thought about it, said description kinda reminded him of that one apostle, Wya- His eyes widened as he remembered what happened during the earlier battle.

 _Griffith had broken the fundamental rules of the universe, opening up the vortex of souls in an act powered by fear and hate._

 _If we got sent here by the Skull Knight's attack, than all of those escaped apostle souls also-_

And then he heard the sounds of battle coming from inside the forest.

 _"Well, at least I've found Serpico."_

With that, Guts rushed to the young man's aid.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Serpico grunted as he dodged another fist from his beastly opponent. The massive fist created a crater on the ground as Serpico leapt into a tree-

and then the fist slammed into it, sending it toppling over as Serpico hastily made a retreat to the ground. He turned and sent a slash at the things head with his Slyph Sword.

The beast grinned before it nonchalantly dodged the slice, only for a small gash to appear on it's cheek. It greedily lapped at the blood on the red line.

 **"How funny."** Wyald grinned as he advanced forward, his massive body covered in similar slashes, but otherwise unharmed. Serpico jumped into the air as he released a massive flurry of wind enhanced slashes. Wyald laughed before slapping his hands together, dispelling Serpcio's barrage with a massive burst of wind that sent Serpico flipping backwards. The young man grunted. From within the depth's of his consciousness, a voice spoke. _"Be careful Serpie!"_ Sylph called, clearly worried about her new partner's survival. _"I'm trying the best I can."_ Serpico dodged a massive punch from Wyald, who's attacks came with a shocking speed from a beast of his size. Despite his hastily made contract with the Wind Spirit, Serpico felt sweat drip down his forehead as Wyald attacks kept coming without stopping, forcing Serpico to be defensive and constantly jump from his fast attacks. " _That speed...Does he control the wind too?"_

 **"My wild, unrestrained nature gives me great power over the wind! Enjoyment and Excitement!"**

That answered that.

Suddenly, Wyald leapt into the air. **"Wyald Jump!"** Serpico grunted before he prepared to leap out of the way. **"Wyald Stomp!"** Wyald's massive bulk came crashing down onto the forest floor, scattering leaves and sending Serpico rolling from the sheer force of it. Serpico forced himself up, realizing he had dropped his sword. He immediately reached forward-

Only to be caught in Wyald's massive hand. Serpico opened his eyes as he tried to force the apes fingers open.

Wyald laughed as he squeezed Serpico, the knight coughing up blood as his bones began to creak.

 **SNIKT**

Suddenly the pressure stopped, and Serpico dropped to the ground, righting himself as he picked up his sword.

Wyald stared, blinking at his hand.

Which had fallen off of his arm onto the forest floor. Wyald looked down, uncomprehending at the figure in black armor below him, head covered by a dog like helmet and armed with a massive sword. One of the black gauntlets on his attackers left forearm split open, revealing-

Pulling the cord on his metal arm, Guts sent Wyald flying back in a blast of cannon fire.

 **"WHAAT!?"** Wyald shrieked as he was sent off his feet, his bulk smashing through a set of trees as blood gushed out of his giant lower mouth and arm, teeth uselessly falling out of the mouth. Wyald shook his head and tried to get up-

Only for a black blur to fire past, slicing off half of his right leg. Wyald began to scream in pain before the figure turned and let loose another swing.

 **CLANG**

Wyald was sent smashing down onto his back as the blade stabbed through his chest, spilling out even more blood.

With Wyald down for now, Guts ran to Serpico. "You alright?" he asked. Serpico just smirked and cracked his neck, uncaring for the blood on his chin. "Meh, I've had worse." Growling with rage, Wyald forced himself up. Sneering through a bloody mouth and reaching out with the power of the wind, he practically threw the devastated trees at Guts and Serpico as though they were missiles. Without missing a beat, Guts turned and brought the Dragonslayer down like a hammer. With each swing, the trunks were split into firewood. Wyald looked on, astonished at the power of his opponent. " **How the hell-"** A cord of recognition struck within the ape apostle.

 **"HAWK RAIDER!"** Wyald roared with rage as he got onto his one good foot, his hatred holding him together as he practically threw himself at the two swordsmen. Across the battlefield, Guts and Serpico stood together, swords raised. As the power of Sylph began to build around Serpico, flame suddenly began to snake it's across the surface of the Dragonslayer.

Wyald and Serpico were not the only ones with the power of the elements.

Serpico fully opened his eyes.

Wyald howled like the feral beast he was.

Guts grinned maliciously under his black helmet.

The slaughter commenced.

-END

 **A/N:**

 **To clear things up, this does not take place during the main story. The Main story is in it's own separate universe. This omake takes place in what could be considered an "Alternative World" to the main story, sort of like what Paradox is to MGQ. I'm mainly keeping this little detour self contained as just a "Holiday Special" but I may revisit it as the story continues.**

 **I've reposted this from the old story. I have other projects I'm working on, along with College life, so I may take awhile to get to the next chapter. Hopefully I'll be more focused when the next chapter of Berserk comes out and reawakens my muse.**


	9. Angel of Doom

**Angel of Doom**

XXX

On an island far away from the three continents, in a place only a chosen hundred knew of, an Angel landed.

The island was a lush one, jungles filled with green tree's and vines lining mountainous terrain, alongside the occasional lagoon and grassy plain. It was a beautiful place.

One that was about to play witness to an intimate exchange.

There was a brief flash of light, and above a cliff overlucking a thick line of jungle, a winged figure appeared. Clad in silver armor from head to toe, long white wings behind her, she gently landed feet first on top of the cliff. Grass gently swayed as her wings flapped before folding behind her. She held a long ebony colored axe in hand, one with a blade point in it's end. Calmly, she planted it blade side first into the grass, left hand clutching a sheathed blade at her side and right hand holding onto the shaft of the axe. With it's long shape, and gleaming sharpness, the purpose of the weapon could be understood with a keen eye.

This axe wasn't for battle.

It was a tool of execution.

From her face she lifted a silver face plate with single blue eye jewel in it's center, dropping it to the ground and exposing a gentle, expressionless face as shoulder-length white hair spilled out from behind her head.

She calmly looked around the area, the sun setting while large scaly figures resembling naked birds flew in the above her, occasionally squawking at one another.

With that, her neutral expression morphed into something else entirely; a long smile grew on her face as she suddenly reared back, laughing and bracing herself on her axe.

Tilting her head, the angel spoke.

"It's a beautiful day for an execution. Truly, you are all lucky to experience this." Flashes of light appeared behind her as more figures appeared behind her.

Four more of them with extended white wings. They too wore silver armor, this time with full helmets that covered their heads instead of a single faceplate.

They all held swords respectfully sheathed at their sides.

 _Valkyries. The subjugator class._

The same could not be said for the sorry state of the other group teleported in.

Chains of light were bound across their arms and legs, bags tied across their heads.

Some of them were in rags, others in faded, torn white clothing. There was five of them in total. Red marks and dirty stains on their exposed skin left clear signs of long captivity.

Smirking, the axe-angel walked over to one of them. With a grin, she snatched a bag off the first small figures head.

With a gasp, the young angel fell forwards, coughing as the bag was pulled from her head. She shook herself, brown hair swishing from side to side as if she was a dog trying to wash some foul sent off.

Armored gauntlet creaking, the axe-Angel grinned and tossed the bag to the ground.

"So.." She spoke, surveying the other angels. "You runts must be the fallen angels Illias told me to take care of, eh?" Chuckling lightly she looked down at the young angel, whom was still restrained. The other hooded and restrained fallen shook in their chains, terrified, as the one in front of her blinked blue eyes and defiantly looked right at her. "What Illias did was wrong! Remina was a peaceful place, so what if monsters and humans were living together, they weren't hurting-"

Rolling her eyes, the angel casually kicked the fallen angel to the side. She fell with a groan, spitting up light colored fluid.

"Heh." The lead angel said. Tilting her head, she grabbed the young fallen's face and looked right at her. "Stupid kid. You're Ninth Order. Scholar levels right? You girls don't look half a century hold, maybe even less. Heh. Probably explains the juvenile attitudes. And how you were snooping around the Remina containment zone against regulations, too. If you and your friends had just left, you _might_ have lasted a little longer. But you just had to go an call the Big Boss a _monster_ to her face. Now you are here with your power and fate sealed. Kids today are so annoying." She tsked, shaking her head unhappily. Then the older angels grin seemed to grow once more after briefly settling into a frown.

"I'll have you know you aren't the first to rebel. I'm sure you heard of either that redheaded lunatic or the Daystar. Filthy traitors, both of them. But at least you and the other Fallen will get to suffer, just like the other groups have."

A muffled _"EH?!"_ was heard from the other captives. The young child sized angel in front of her blinked, eyes wide in shock. "Others?"

" _Yessss,"_ the sadistic Valkyrie hissed out. "Some other angels, young and old, have indeed rebelled against our Mother. Some for power, others for the same petty moral reasons as the Daystar. That's where I come in. " Grinning, she walked back to the axe.

"I was specially handcrafted to be different from the other Valkyries. I'm no warrior. I am-" She pulled the axe from the dirt.

 **" _The Executioner."_**

Grinning widely, she approached the young fallen angel, who was now desperately struggling backwards, a look of panic on her face.

With ease, the Executioner planted her foot on top of her. "Whenever their is a traitor in Heaven, I put them down _hard._ I'm allowed to do it wherever and however I wish. Her loyal servants do the job of cleaning the rest up." She then pointed the axe at herself. "When she forged me from light, she made sure that I would be something meant for the job. An appreciation of blade work and a creative streak. A lack of remorse. All was planted into my thoughts. It's made me a bit of an outcast due to my profession, but I don't really care. After all, I'm perfectly content with my work, unlike you. So I have no reason to think...independently."

"After all, that invites treachery. Now for the next part." Grinning, she pulled her captive along by her hair, the girl yelping as she was dragged to the edge of the cliff.

"See?" She crooned at the tree line below them. "A long time ago, when Mother first came to this world, the main things populating the surface were these big reptilian things. They were savage animals, unable to be communicated with. So she released her power and burned the world. However..." She giggled. "Life found a way."

The jungle came alive. Under the glare of the sun, scaly shapes moved from out of the tree line. They came in, hissing and growling.

A large lizard with a frill around it's neck.

A large two-legged beast with big, boxy head and a fierce fanged maw that contrasted with it's comically small two-fingered arms.

A pack of feathered creatures, ones the size of humans with sickle-shaped toes.

More and more of them emerged from the woods, varied in shape and size but with an identical, feral hunger in their eyes.

The Executioner grinned and spread her arms, her voice getting louder like some madwoman. "Some of them survived her purge, washing out from sea on these far out islands away from her sight. "

"Like I said, life finds away. Here on these islands, they've evolved over generations into forms faster and stronger then their ancestors. When a cursory glance from Illias found this far off paradise, she saw no reason to destroy it. After all, what threat were a bunch of animals to her? But I see differently. They are without remorse-" One big reptile opened a fanged maw, hissing out a steaming breath as it's teeth gleamed "And with beautiful blades as a part of their very nature. _Yessss-"  
_ She crooned, patting her captives back. "They are exactly like me. Perhaps this is why I've used this island as a staging ground for my executions. I have a feeling that if I died and reincarnated as one the creatures on this island, I would be just as content as content as I am now. But it's not just the sights I like here. "

From her side, she held her sheathed blade as she pulled the young fallen angel up by her head.

"I would toss the bodies of the traitors I beheaded over this cliff when I started coming here. The locals would come for the free meal sometimes. Now, they always gather expectanly when I fly over because they know they will get a treat. Heh, maybe it's something in our blood. Something that acts like a narcotic to them. Probably explains why so many gather. Sometime for fun, I'd toss one of you traitors in still alive just to watch the quick little chase before the feeding frenzy. Great night entertainment, eh?" She laughed, looking at the other Valkyries.

Aside from the nearest armored angel tightening a gloved fist, they reacted with indifferent professionalism.

Rolling her eyes, she gently pressed the side of her axe to the young angels face, making her whimper. The Executioner continued talking.

"Now for an additional history lesson.." Raising the axe wide, sun gleaming off of it, she laughed and brought it down.

It impacting into a mound of dirt right next to the young scholar, the girl blinking in surprise to find her head still attached to her body. Grinning like her face was about to split, the Executioner pulled the blade from her sheath.

It gleamed in the lowering sunlight, vein-like blue inscriptions glowing on it.

"A long time ago, the Arch-Traitor forged a weapon for the Tyrantslayer. A weapon that could kill or seal as the user saw fit. But he turned against us, and before he was ripped to pieces by his own bloodlust, the sheer amount of angels he killed tainted the weapon, rending it a misshapen, lumpy thing covered in agonized imitations of it's victims. The terrible blade itself was taken away by the First of the Fallen before it could be destroyed, one she used with devastating effect during her escape from Heaven and self-exile. It's current location is unknown. But whose to say-"

Her manic expression reflected of the sword. "-That it was the only one of it's kind?"

The young angel's eyes widened as the realization came to her. "Yes indeed young lady. This sword in my hands is the exact same kind as the one the Tyrantslayer and the First of the Fallen used. A Blade that can kill or seal, forged in the Heaven's themselves. Do you really think that Illias would just make one single blade? No!"

"An Angel can only be killed by another angel. While my axe is made of the same material, I have to admit that it is nowhere as near as intimate as this blade of mine. I myself am one of the very few chosen by Mother to wield one of these powerful sealing blades, and I wield it well. Want to know what's going to happen?"

"Please, Don-"

Laughter bloomed above the valley, a few scaly flyers actually looking down at the convulsing Executioner as she grabbed the young angel by the throat, lifting her up. She finally composed herself and calmly spoke more.

"I've grown very experienced with this blade. I've found that if I strike with just the right amount of force, I can render my victim _mortal!"_

Gleaming, she pressed her face nose to nose with her wide eyed young charge.

"Vulnerable to the forces of the natural world. You will essentially become as fragile and killable as any human. Then, I will toss you to the animals. It will be a frenzy."

"It will hurt, and I'm going to enjoy every moment of your screams. And then, I'm going to do the same to your friends, just like I did to the last group that tried to rebel."

Pulling her face away, her smile seemed to grow even toothier. One hand around her neck, she forced the young fallen to the ground. She turned her around so that her back was facing her. Feeling her victims rapid heartbeat and panicked breathing, she smiled and slowly drew her sword back, aiming to the side of her chest.

There was no greater thrill for her, and with a huge grin she reared up and prepared to bring the blade down.

 _Mother...is this what it is like to be a Goddess?_

"You will never know."

A soft voice, and then a sudden coldness in her back.

The Executioner gasped in sudden pain, her sword dropping from her gauntlet bound hands into the jungle below. "What-"

She looked down at the gleaming blade now protruding from her chest.

Shaking, silvery fluid _my own blood?!_ dripping down her mouth as she craned her neck, an expression of utter shock on her face.

The nearest Valkyrie, armor gleaming stood in front of her, blade on the handle where she had shoved a sword right through the Executioners body.

The young angel on the ground turned around and sat up, leaning on a nearby rock, her eyes just as wide as everyone elses. Shaking, the Executioner fell to her knees in utter horror and pain, before looking up at the Valkyrie-

The armored angel dragged the blade down, further carving a trench through her chest. Silver blood poured out, and with one last choked whimper, she slid from the blade off of the cliff.

Time slowed from her perspective, utter shock numbing the pain as she fell, the steel covered gaze of the Valkyrie watching her all the way down.

With a thud, she hit the bottom.

Coughing through blurred eyes, she heard the sound of scaly feet all around her.

Two burning reptilian eyes stared right at her, two horns on the side of a red head.

 _A Juvenile._ She thought almost dispassionately.

Then a squeal, right before two sets of sharp white teeth dashed into her view.

Just as she predicted, it was a total feeding frenzy.

XXX

The other three Valkyries looked on in shock at their sisters sudden betrayal, the traitor casually flicking the blood off her sealing blade. With a flash of movement, she cut at the sealing chains on the young fallen angel. Immediately, a pair of head sized wings bloomed from her back as she gasped for air. She looked up to the Valkyrie, eyes wide. "Thank you-"

"Not out of the woods yet, kid." She said, before turning to the other three. Immediately, they drew their swords and held them to the necks of the other restrained fallen, pulling the bag/hoods from their heads, revealing them all to be as young as their leader. "Take one more step and we'll destroy them-"

The betraying Valkyrie calmly reached up to her helmet, and with a simple tug, she pulled it off.

Metal clanked on the dust.

Shoulder length blonde hair spilled out to the side, the gentle expression on her face utterly contrasting with the ice cold intent in her blue eyes.

The young fallen gaped in surprise. "You're Lu-"

"LUFCIFINA THE ARCH-TRAITOR!" One of the Valkryies yelled, horror and anger in her voice. Captives forgotten, they all took to the air and rushed forwards, wings and swords blazing. "Kill her before she kills us-"

 _ **The Blade of Judegment comes for all.**_

 _ **Flash Kill**_

There is another sound of falling metal as the three charging angels break in half simultaneously onto the ground below, then nothing as they burn into dust, Lucfiina's blade blazing with fire in that brief moment.

Immediately, she hoisted the young fallen to her feet before walking towards the other four. Immediately, there were questions. "How did you-" one young angel with her green hair in braids says before getting an answer. "Through careful power dampening techniques, careful observation of a Valkyrie known for keeping her armor on for long periods of time, and with a whole lot of making things up as I went along."

Lucifina casually said this as if she weren't the first Fallen Angel, as if she hadn't snuck back into Heaven unnoticed, as if she hadn't just sliced three elites of the elite in half. With a flourish, she cut the chains on the young fallen. "Get up. If you have any more questions, you can ask the one who sent me here when I take you five to safety."

As they got up, there was the slightest of shifts in the air.

Eyes, narrowing, Lucifina immediately drew her blade just as a black tendril the size of an arm burst from the mud under her.

With a clang like that of a sword hitting a wall, she knocked it back with all she had.

The black tendril drew back, shifting under the dirt and mud.

Then, a groan. Several meters away, a dark figure burst from the ground, scattering dirt around her.

Three tendrils moved and sifted on the left and right of a body, pulling their owner out. Her body hoisted itself into the air, black tendrils acting as hooks as they extended.

Underneath a dark, long head of thick, messy hair that reached to the ground, a single red eye balefully regarded Lucifina, whom stood with her sword raised, young fallen behind her. The entity in front of her wore no clothes, her skin covered in certain places by the long dark hair. She snarled, her dark appearance utterly contrasting with the glowing white wings flapping on her back.

Lucifina's eyes narrowed.

"Zeruel."

 **"Lucifina."** The entity droned out.

Then, it charged forwards, tendrils slamming forwards as two red eyes furiously gleamed-

Lucfina moved forwards-

and slid between Zeruel's legs. Without hesitation, she pivoted and leapt to the side, swinging her blade-

Zeruel drew back, hissing as one of her tendrils separated from her side in a burst of fire, the limb twitching before going still.

Lucifina got to her feet, blade in both hands. "I see you've gone through some...changes since the last time we fought. You may be the Angel of Might-"

Zeruel roared and charged once more, swinging her remaining tentacles in a flurry blindingly at Lucifina.

Like a blur, she moved and dodged between each strike, narrowly avoiding her tendrils as small craters burst into the ground around them.

 _I have to finish this quick._

Lucifina grinned slyly. "-But you're a thousand years to late if you hope to match me."

Zeruel screamed, her mouth seeming to fill with fangs as golden energy crackled into her five remaining tendrils.

She leaped forwards at Lucifina, tendrils sparking as she brought them all down onto her-

 **A dazzling star rises from hell.**

An explosion of blue light sent Zeruel flying backwards with a guttural scream, blue fire lining her form as the part off the cliff she was standing on ceased to exist.

With a roar, Zeruel plummeted down into the frenzy below.

While they didn't have a big need for air, the young fallen around Lucifina were still gasping as they walked towards her. "Holy-"

"This-"

"You really are-"

"You saved-"

"Who sent-"

Lucifina was quick to reply; "Stay by me if you want to escape."

Nodding rapidly, they got around her like chicks to a Hen.

Lucifina took a moment to sigh, ready to teleport-

 **"Angel!"**

Eyes opening, she beheld a sight below the destroyed cliff.

The Executions Axe lay impaled into the head of a large small-armed carnivore, Zeruel's hands firmly around it's handle. One remaining tendril lay attached to her, and a sickle-toed beast was shrieking as it was swung around by said tendril. Other reptiles, big and small surrounded Zeruel.

They were roaring up a storm, but otherwise they did not attack, waiting for Zeruel to drop her guard.

The bloodstained angel hatefully glared up at Lucifina, ash on her body and charred redness on one side of her face.

Lucifina dispassionately matched her gaze before grinning coldy.

"Till we meet again."

Zeruel pulled the axe out of her dead foes head, pink and red matter dripping from it.

She snarled, then made as if to throw it.

 **"LUCIFINA!"**

She threw it with all of her hate, the blade soaring.

With a flash of light, all six fallen angels vanished moments before impact.

As the massive reptiles finally charged, Zeruel raised her fists and **_screamed_** with every fiber of her being

XXX

The moon was bright in the sky when they successfully teleported across the world.

In a flash of light, Lucifina managed to land legs first on the ground with ease, the five fallen angels tumbling forwards somewhat clumsily. Ahead, they could see torchlight and the a few large wooden structures.

"This is the safe place.'' Lucifina said, pointing ahead. "Follow me."

Dishelved but relieved, they nodded and walked forward, Lucfina's blade glimmering in the moonlight.

"Welcome to Enrika."

The young fallen looked up with a start as an older looking woman wearing a green outfit and matching silk gloves calmly walked out from behind a tree.

"I got a new batch of Fallen, Micaela." Lucifina quickly responded, seeing the awkwardness unfolding. One of the fallen, the brown haired angel who was nearly the first to die looked back and forth between them, rapidly. "Micaela the Seraph? Sister of Lucifina? But we were told that you were on a distant mission-"

"Illias says a lot of things." Micaela calmly responded, smiling slightly. "Anything that could make her look bad or encourage more defections from her angels is not something on her agenda." Nodding slightly, stunned, another young fallen, this one with short blue hair and matching eyes looked around the village as they slowly approached, seeing elven guards walking the premises. "So, this is where the other fallen are hiding? Those who weren't caught like us?" Micaela nodded. "Indeed. Not just angels, but monsters and humans who wish to live in peace come here to avoid Illias. Lucifina sometimes helps those wishing to get here." Both sisters have one another a look before Micaela turned to the fallen. She pointed to a large lodge. "There are other fallen angels in there. Talk to them when you get there, they'll know what to do with any injuries you have. I'll answer any questions you have, about what happened today and what will happen from now on once I'm finished with my...current business." She spoke, looking to Lucifina all the while. With some hasty nods, the fallen five began moving down a moist dirt path to the lodge as fast as they could.

Crickets chirping, both sisters looked at one another for awhile before Micaela leaned on a tree near Lucifina, who leaned on the same tree, her stolen Valkyrie armor still gleaming.

"I saw Zeruel again." Lucifina spoke casually, breaking the silence.

Her sister nodded. "Was she any different?"

"She had six bladed tendrils and tried to eat me. Most likely explanation is that she had herself experimented on by the one calling herself Promestein."

Micaela looked down. "That could set a precedent. The young generation tends to look to the old. We may see other angels willingly undergoing or trying to imitate the same process as Zeruel."

Lucifina spoke up again. "She was far faster then the last time I fought her, back when I first went left Heaven. I severed almost all of her tendrils this time, and I left her bleeding on an island surrounded by those ancient carnivorous reptiles."

"She was still putting up a hell of a fight right before I left her there."

Micaela silently digested this before responding. "If you didn't see her die with your own two eyes, she's bound to show up again."

Lucifina sighed and shook her head. "It's a risk I'm willing to accept. Now that I've saved this batch, I'll find another thing to occupy myself until you need my help again."

With that, Lucifina leaned off the tree and began to walk away again. There was more to her leaving Enrika for the night.

Having two Seraph class angels, even in an area as well warded and hidden as Enrika, was too much of a risk. They could not chance of Illias or her allies sensing out their location based on the power of two of them in the same location for a long amount of time.

She began to walk away, a stoic expression on her face.

One that morphed into surprise, blue eyes widening as she felt Micaela's gloves hands wrapped around her waist from behind, her sisters face pressing against her back. "You did a good thing today, Lucifina." Micaela softly said. "You saved the lives of those young angels and stopped Illias from taking those lives in the first place. Never forget the good you've done."

Lucifina opened her mouth as if to speak, then shut it before smiling.

"Thank you, big sister." She gently replied, holding Micaela's hands from where they were around her waist.

They both stood like that for a while.

XXX

Lucifina didn't really know the name of this Sentoran tavern, nor did she really care.

All that she knew was that after last night, it wouldn't hurt for a celebratory drink, the fact it was morning be damned.

With her experienced form and a set of silver and blue Sabasan armor, it was easy enough to pass herself off as an adventurer.

Strolling in to the old wooden place, she casually propped herself down at a nearby table and gestured to the bartender, a middle aged bald man in an apron.

"Give me a full bottle of the strongest stuff you have." She said, not bothering to see his reaction before leaning down, face on her folded arms. _I could use a quick nap..._

She was interrupted by a surprisingly loud commotion. Blearily blinking, she lifted for face from her arms and turned to what seemed to be a small group of arguing young adventurers nearby one table down from hers. They seemed to have laid out a map and were pointing at it.

"Listen Laz, I'm telling you that the Goblin nest in Clef's Cave is the the closest and thus first-" A young man wearing a set of robes said before being interrupted by a women wearing an outfit emblazoned in crosses she recognized as that of a Healer's outfit down south. "The people in Gulchtown are sick with the new plague. These people need our help _now._ This isn't like some monster just waiting around for us to find-"

A man with shoulder length black hair got between them both, his hands up. "Look, I say we deal with the Dragon at Ironhide Pass first. Better to get what will be the hardest of these sidequests out of the way first before we do the others-" As the group seemed about to descend into more argument, Lucifina sighed and prepared to turn away. " _Not my problem"-_

"Everyone calm down please!"

Her eyes widened at the sight of the purple-haired man wearing simple shirt and a red cape whom got between all three parties. " _Heinrich?!"_

"We have over three possible quests to take. How about this: Karen, you and Merlin can take the Gulchtown mission. Both of you have the knowledge needed to deal with that kind of stuff. Lazarus and I have the short swords and close melee skill that would be best in close quarters; we'll deal with the goblins. After that, we can all join up again and deal with the Dragon, okay?'' His nervous speech contrasting with his stance and calm expression. Perhaps he was the lader of this band. The man with the black hair nodded and stroked a small beard on his face. ''It sounds good to me, Marcellus." The healer and the robed man turned to one another then back to the newly identified Marcellus. The woman was the first to speak. "Alright, this plan of yours seems solid. But I think we should discuss it more in-depth back at the Inn-"

The man called Merlin interrupted with "Why do I have to go with her? I could use some combat experience, and I know a few light spells that could help with the cave!"

Marcellus turned to him and replied. "Let's not make a scene here. I'd say that Karen is right, we should go back to the Inn." At the mention of her name, the young woman blushed _,_ and Lucifina rolled her eyes at the complete lack of reaction from Marcellus.

 _Okay, so he's not Heinrich. But he definitely has a few similarities._

Lazarus sighed "Why are we doing this again?" he gruffly replied, before folding up the map as he began to walk to the entrance of the tavern, seemingly intent on heading back to the Inn.

Marcellus followed, with Karen and Merlin following him. "Isn't it obvious!" He shouted, throwing his arms up into the air. "We need quest experience in order to get strong enough to defeat the Monster Lord-"

Chuckling softly to herself, Lucifina grabbed her ordered drink and casually took a sip as she leaned back on a chair, putting her legs over the table, politeness be damned.

 _That group thinks doing some "sidequests" is going to make them strong enough to beat the big bad Monster Lord. With an overly naïve attitude like that-_

She softly shook her head, grimacing inwardly.

 _Someone in that group is gonna get themselves killed someday, mark my words._

Pausing from a long swig, she frowned. _Then again, doing something similar worked for Heinrich._

Smiling slightly, she tilted her head backwards and began the process of rapidly emptying the tankard.

 _Perhaps one day, Marcellus and his crew will tell their kids about the time they fought a Monster Lord, if their born in the first place._

 _Especially the leader. With a personality and looks like that, that man's bound to end with a few brats._

With a content sight, she slamned her tankard down onto the edge of the table.

 _Who knows what the future will hold?_

 **-END**

 **XXX**

 **The Hiatus Virus is real. Miura has my sympathy.**

 **Lucifina deserves more love, damnit.**


	10. Fin

**And then Wyald exploded into a conflagration of hellfire.**

 **Alma and Granberia grew up together to become Heavenly Knights, slaying evil and wrecking inns.**

 **-END**

Might as well give this closure.

Looking back this started off as shock for the sake of shock and was more than a little misogynistic at times. I wanted to shock people with violence, not tell a coherent plot. At best I'll call it a learning experience.

The story became more coherent after the first few chapters, but the uneven tone and lack of a clear plot made it hard to follow and enjoy writing.

I feel the best parts were those that could have stood alone as one shots, like Wyald's past and Lucifina on Dinosaur Island.

I have since matured moved on to far more enjoyable projects and subjects closer to my heart.

I learned much from both the mistakes here and from the parts I felt went decently well, mainly character interaction and such, so despite the parts I don't look back on fondly I felt I got all I could from the experience.

To those who stayed, read, and reviewed despite it all, thank you for your time.


End file.
